The Colorado Avalanche today traded struggling goaltender Craig Anderson to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for goaltender Brian Elliott.
Elliott, 25, has appeared in a team-high 43 games for the Senators this season, posting a 13-19-8 record with a 3.19 goals-against average and three shutouts. The Newmarket, Ontario native helped the Senators reach the Stanley Cup playoffs a year ago, compiling a 29-18-4 record with a .909 save percentage and five shutouts in 55 appearances.
“Brian is an experienced NHL goaltender,” said Avalanche general manager Greg Sherman. “We look forward to having him join our team.”
Ottawa’s ninth choice (ninth round, 291st overall) in the 2003 Entry Draft, Elliott has fashioned a 59-45-15 career record with a 2.81 GAA and .903 save percentage in 130 NHL appearances. Prior to turning pro, the 6-foot-3 netminder played four seasons at the University of Wisconsin (WCHA), where he backstopped the Badgers to the 2006 NCAA championship.
Elliott this afternoon said he was warming up for a goalie practice in Ottawa when he got the news. “My initial reaction was shock,” he said. “You never think you’re going to get traded. But with things going on here in Ottawa, there’s obviously going to be some changes. Shock and mixed emotions, obviously, because of the guys and your teammates and everything. But I’m definitely excited for the challenge. Change can bring excitement and a little different attitude to a season that hasn’t gone how we thought it would here.”
Elliott added, “It’s late in the season. I’m looking forward to coming in and trying to do my best to provide a backstop, to give the guys a chance to win. I know it’s been rough here in Ottawa, it’s been rough the last 10 games there in Colorado as well, and hopefully a change of environment will help.”
Anderson appeared in 33 games for Colorado this season and was 13-15-3 with a 3.28 GAA and .897 save percentage.
Anderson, 29, had been traded once before (for a sixth-round draft choice) and claimed on waivers three times. He never played for two of the teams he was claimed on waivers by (Boston and St. Louis). He has played nearly 150 games in the American Hockey League, as recently as 2006-07.
“When you get a few years in the league, you understand a little bit of the mental aspect of the game,” Anderson said earlier this week. “You can only focus on what you can control, and obviously contract matters are out of my control. It’s a game; you have fun at it, and the paycheck is a bonus.”
