The Detroit Red Wings acquired forward Erik Cole and a conditional 2015 third-round pick in exchange for defenceman Mattias Backman, centre Mattias Janmark, and a second-round pick in 2015.
Cole, 36, has 18 goals, 15 assists, and 14 penalty minutes in 57 games this season. The veteran forward has played 881 career NHL games with the Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, and Carolina Hurricanes. He is in the final season of a four-year, $18 million contract and will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2014-15 season.
Backman, 22, was Detroit’s fifth-round pick (146th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft. He has split the season between AHL’s Grand Rapis and Linkoping of the Swedish Hockey League.
Janmark was selected by the Red Wings in the third round (No. 79 overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft. The 22-year-old Swede has 13 goals and 23 assists in 53 games for Frolunda HC
Entering play Sunday, Detroit sits in third place in the Atlantic Division with a 35-15-11 record.