Stastny traded to Jets by Blues

Paul Stastny was traded to the Winnipeg Jets by the St. Louis Blues for a conditional first-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, and forward prospect Erik Foley on Monday.

The 32-year-old forward has 40 points, (12 goals, 28 assists) in 63 games this season. He can become an unrestricted free agent July 1.

"I think because it's Winnipeg, there is a lot of excitement there," Stastny told TSN. "When you look at that roster, or playing against them for the 2-3 years, it's a team that plays a high-quality game, offensively a juggernaut. Looking at the roster top to bottom, that was one of the favorites to come out of the West. When a team like that has an interest, it means a lot. ... I don't know who I'll be playing with, I'm just there to be myself and make those players better."

Video: NHL Tonight talks impact of Stastny trade to Jets

Stastny has 633 points (216 goals, 417 assists) in 805 NHL games with the Colorado Avalanche and Blues. He was chosen by the Avalanche in the second round (No. 44) of the 2005 NHL Draft and signed a four-year contract with St. Louis on July 1, 2014.

Jets captain Blake Wheeler played with Stastny in Germany during the 2012-13 lockout and said he was excited to see a friend join the Jets.

"I think what he brings to our team is something that is going to be really helpful for us," Wheeler said. "He can plug a number of holes, awesome face-off guy. He's put up numbers his entire career. Outstanding guy in the room. Really great addition to our room."

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The Jets (37-16-9, 83 points) enter their game against the Nashville Predators at Bell MTS Place on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, FS-TN, NHL.TV) two points behind the Predators for first place in the Central Division.

"It looks like we're now really wanting to win the Stanley Cup and now we have a pretty big chance to do it," Winnipeg forward Patrik Laine said. "I think that gives us a better chance to get there. ... [Stastny is a] good in the [offensive] zone. Overall a really good player. He can play defense, he's good at face-offs. he's going to be a really good centerman on this team."

The Blues (34-25-4, 72 points) have lost six in a row and trail the Calgary Flames by one point for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.

Jets coach Paul Maurice said Stastny will see time on the power play and penalty kill, but wouldn't divulge who his linemates will be.

"Very pleased to get a veteran center iceman, they're just so hard to come by," Maurice said, adding that Stastny could play Tuesday. "I think (he's) a player that fits our game and how we try to play, that can cover off a lot of areas, faceoffs, penalty killing, power play, play against the other teams' best by role for an awful lot of years.

"Real nice vision and creativity, so we get a guy that we can move around with different people. He's a lot like the other centremen that we have, really versatile, which is important to us because we move our wingers a fair amount. We've switched the lines up and we have almost a chemistry in doing that now, so we're pretty excited about it here."

Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien has seen plenty of Stastny since the Jets moved to the Central Division in 2013-14 and said the veteran adds a little bit of everything to the lineup.

"An older guy who has been around," Byfuglien said. "He's been on a few teams and he knows how to be good in the (faceoff) circle, that's one of his main strengths. He's an all-around good guy for the room and on the ice and off the ice, he's good."

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