Alexei Ponikarovsky back with Devils in trade

Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury makes a sprawling save on Senators center Zack Smith in the first period of Pittsburgh's 4-2 victory. GENE J. PUSKAR / Associated Press

GALLERY: Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury makes a sprawling save…

Posted: February 15, 2013

The New Jersey Devils reacquired forward Alexei Ponikarovsky from the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday for a seventh-round draft pick this year and a fourth-round pick in 2014.

The 32-year-old Ponikarovsky, from Ukraine, completed last season with New Jersey, finishing with seven goals and 11 assists in 33 games following a trade with Carolina. He signed with Winnipeg as an unrestricted free agent and had two goals in 12 games for the Jets.

The trade came as the Devils announced that forward Dainius Zubrus will have exploratory wrist surgery and will miss two to eight weeks.

Karlsson hurt

Ottawa defenseman Erik Karlsson suffered a laceration of his left Achilles tendon during the Senators' 4-2 loss to the Penguins in Pittsburgh. The Norris Trophy winner as the league's top defenseman last season will need surgery and be out indefinitely.

A first for the league

Just more than 24 hours after firing Scott Howson, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced the hiring of Jarmo Kekalainen of Finland as the first European to be a general manager in the National Hockey League.

Kekalainen, 46, was director of amateur scouting with the St. Louis Blues from 2002 to '10. While there he worked closely with Columbus director of hockey operations John Davidson.

"One of my dreams since I hung up my skates has been to be a GM of an NHL team sometime. Now that dream has come true," Kekalainen said in Helsinki at the home arena of the Jokerit club, where he's been GM since 2010. "I'm really happy and pleased, even proud, that I've been give this chance."

- Associated Press