The Buffalo Sabres trade recently acquired goaltender Jaroslav Halak and a 3rd-round pick to the Washington Capitals for goaltender Michal Neuvirth and defenseman Rostislav Klesla.
The Buffalo Sabres today announced that the team has acquired goaltender Michal Neuvirth and defenseman Rostislav Klesla from the Washington Capitals in exchange for goaltender Jaroslav Halak and a third-round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
Neuvirth (6’1”, 209 lbs., 3/23/88), who was selected by the Capitals in the second round (34th overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, joins the Sabres after appearing in 13 games in 2013-14, posting a 4-6-2 record, a .914 save percentage and a 2.82 goals against average.
A native of Ústí Nad Labem, Czech Republic, Neuvirth spent the first six seasons of his NHL career in Washington. In that time, he has appeared in 134 NHL games, compiling a 59-41-13 record with seven shutouts, a .910 save percentage and a 2.67 goals against average. He backstopped the Capitals to a 4-5-1 record in the 2011 NHL Playoffs, posting a .912 save percentage and a 2.34 goals against average.
Klesla (6’3”, 215 lbs., 3/21/82) was acquired by the Capitals earlier today from the Phoenix Coyotes. In his 13th NHL season, the defenseman from Novy Jicin, Czech Republic has appeared in 25 games for the Coyotes, recording four points (1+3) and 24 penalty minutes. In 659 career games with the Coyotes and Blue Jackets, Klesla has totaled 159 points (48+111) and 620 penalty minutes.
