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ERAT, MITCHELL TO PHOENIX; NEUVIRTH, HALAK SWAPPED

March 5, 2014

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have acquired forward Chris Brown, defenseman Rostislav Klesla and a fourth-round draft pick in the 2015 NHL Draft from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for forwards Martin Erat and John Mitchell, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.
 
Brown, 23, played in six games with the Coyotes this season, collecting 17 penalty minutes. In addition, he recorded 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) and 68 penalty minutes in 51 games with the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League (AHL). Last season, Brown led the Pirates and all AHL rookies in scoring (29 goals) and ranked tied for third in the AHL with 14 power-play goals.
 
During the 2011-12 season, Brown recorded 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) and 66 penalty minutes in 38 games with University of Michigan (CCHA), setting career highs in assists, points and penalty minutes. Brown led all Michigan rookies in 2009-10with 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists), and led the team with seven power-play goals in 45 games. He was also named to the CCHA All-Rookie Team. Brown registered 80 points (34 goals, 46 assists) and 183 penalty minutes in 125 regular season games during his three-year career with the Wolverines. The Flower Mound, Texasnative was the first ever Michigan recruit from the state of Texas.

Prior to his career at Michigan, Brown played for the United States National Under-18 Team at USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP). As an 18-year-old, he recorded 38 points (20 goals, 18 assists) and a team-leading 120 penalty minutes in 62 games in 2008-09 and also ranked second on the team with 10 power play goals. He helped lead Team USA to the gold medal in the 2009 IIHF Under-18 World Championship in North Dakota, collecting seven points (four goals, three assists) in seven games.

In addition, Brown also won a bronze medal with Team USA at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, New York, registering three points (two goals, one assist) in six games. Brown was selected by the Coyotes in the second round (36th overall) in the 2009 Entry Draft.
 
Klesla, 31, collected four points (one goal, three assists) and 24 penalty minutes with the Coyotes this season. The native of Novy Jicin, Czech Republic, is a 14-year NHL veteran who has played for Columbus and Phoenix. The 6’3’’, 215-pound defenseman has appeared in 659 NHL games, recording 159 points (48 goals, 111 assists) and 620 penalty minutes. Additionally, Klesla has collected nine points (two goals, seven assists) and 11 penalty minutes in 23 career playoff games. Klesla was originally drafted by the Blue Jackets in the first round (fourth overall) in the 2000 NHL Draft.
 
Both Brown and Klesla will report to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League.
 
Erat, 32, collected 24 points (one goal, 23 assists) and 22 penalty minutes in 53 games with the Capitals this season. Mitchell, 27, recorded six points (three goals, three assists) in 20 games with the Bears this season. 

UPDATED FOLLOWING NEUVIRTH - KLESLA DEAL:

The Washington Capitals have acquired goaltender Jaroslav Halak and a third-round draft pick in the 2015 NHL Draft from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for goaltender Michal Neuvirth and defenseman Rostislav Klesla, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today.

Halak, 28, has posted a record of 24-9-4 with a 2.23 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage in 40 games with the St. Louis Blues this season. Halak currently sits ninth among NHL goaltenders in wins, 10th in goals-against average and third in shutouts (4).

Through his eight NHL seasons in Montreal and St. Louis, Halak has played in 260 career NHL games, earning a 139-81-26 record with a 2.38 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. Additionally, Halak has appeared in 23 career playoff games with Montreal and St. Louis, posting a record of 10-11-0 with a 2.42 goals-against average and a ..923 save percentage. Halak’s career shootout save percentage of .711 ranks ninth among active goaltenders with at least 25 career shootouts.

The Bratislava, Slovakia native was awarded a share the William M. Jennings Trophy in 2011-12 for achieving the league’s lowest goals-against average (1.97). During that season, Halak ranked fifth in the NHL in goals against average, seventh in save percentage (.926 – career high) and tied for fifth in shutouts (six). Along with goaltender Brian Elliott, Halak tied a modern day NHL record for a goaltending tandem with 15 combined shutouts, surpassing the Blues’ mark of 13 set in 1968-69 by Jacques Plante and Glenn Hall.

Neuvirth, 25, has posted a 4-6-2 record with a 2.85 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage in 13 games with Washington this season. Klesla, 31, collected four points (one goal, three assists) and 24 penalty minutes with the Phoenix Coyotes this season.





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