The New Jersey Devils have reacquired Alexei Ponikarovsky after a trade with the Winnipeg Jets.
The left winger was a member of the Devils last season and helped New Jersey reach the Stanley Cup Final. New Jersey general manager Lou Lamoriello traded a seventh-round pick in the 2013 NHL draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2014 draft to bring back Ponikarovsky.
"I think it was a major factor in reacquiring him because he fit in so well," Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello stated after the acquisition. "He played our style, he played in all situations. We really would have re-signed him, except that, at that time, we were waiting to see what we were going to be doing with another player. It held (it) up and I don't think he could wait any longer, which I respected. But he was a player that played extremely well for us throughout the playoffs and just fit into the culture that we have here in New Jersey."
Ponikarovsky scored seven goals and 11 assists in 33 regular season games for New Jersey in 2011-12 after being acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 21, 2012 in exchange for defenseman Joe Sova and a fourth-round pick in the 2012 draft. During the playoffs, Ponikarovsky scored a goal and added eight assists as New Jersey came within two games of being Stanley Cup champions.
Ponikarovsky signed with the Winnipeg Jets this past summer for one-year at $1.8 million. He had only scored two goals in 12 games for the Jets.
The Ukrainian was drafted 87th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1998 Entry Draft. He played in Toronto for nine seasons before being shipped to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2010. He then played for the Los Angeles Kings in 2010-11 and moved to the Carolina Hurricanes to start the 2011-12 season. His best year came in 2008-09 when Ponikarovsky scored 23 goals and 38 assists. He has not matched those totals since.
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