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Calgary Flames add Michael Stone for draft picks

GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 23: Arizona Coyotes defenseman Michael Stone (26) gets ready for the face off during the NHL hockey game between the Florida Panthers and the Arizona Coyotes on January 23, 2017 at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona.(Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Michael Stone (26) gets ready for the face off during the NHL hockey game between the Florida Panthers and the Arizona Coyotes on January 23, 2017 at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. (Getty Images)

The Calgary Flames added defensive depth Monday, acquiring blue liner Michael Stone from the Arizona Coyotes for a 2017 third-round draft pick and a conditional 2018 fifth-round pick.

According to TSN’s Bob McKenzie, the Coyotes will retain half of Stone’s $4 million salary cap hit for the rest of the season. The condition kicks in if Stone is re-signed by the Flames. He is on a one-year contract and will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.

“One of the things we wanted to do is add depth at the blue-line, so we looked at what makes sense without selling the farm,” Flames general manager Brad Treliving said according to the Calgary Sun. “I was (in Arizona) when we drafted Mike from the (Calgary) Hitmen, so I know the kid and he’s a good person. That was a number of years ago – he’s married now and has twins – but he’s a solid NHL player. He can do a lot of things. He’s a right shot who can log minutes, he has a heavy shot and can play power play and can kill penalties.”

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The 26-year-old Stone has scored one goal and added eight assists in 45 games this season while averaging 20:13 of ice-time per-game. He also holds a minus-5.67 adjusted 5-on-5 CF%. Last year, he set a career-high of 36 points in 75 games and held a minus-0.05 adjusted 5-on-5 CF%. Stone suffered a torn MCL and ACL against the Philadelphia Flyers on March 26. He didn’t play his first game this year until Oct. 21.

“I haven’t played to my capabilities,” Stone said recently to the Arizona Republic. “Obviously, you saw the kind of player I was last year and I’m not that player right now. I’m getting there I feel, and I feel like this last couple weeks have been a step in the right direction. Hopefully I can continue that.”

Considering Stone’s production plus his recent injury history, it seemed unlikely that the Coyotes, a team that’s in last place in the Pacific Division, would look to re-sign him in the offseason, so moving him now and picking up assets made sense.

The Flames are currently in the thick of the playoff race and are two points ahead of the Los Angeles Kings for the final Wild Card spot in the West. The Flames have played one more game than the Kings. The Winnipeg Jets are one point behind the Flames but have played three more games than Calgary.

Adding Stone, while not taking a player off their roster and getting the Coyotes to pick up part of the salary should give Calgary an immediate boost. Calgary Herald Flames beat reporter Wes Gilbertson pointed out that Stone could get a look next to TJ Brodie on the team’s second pair.

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The deal also seems to indicate that the Flames are looking to add pieces for a postseason push.

“We have five games before the deadline, so we tried to get out ahead of it a bit,” Treliving said. “We’re deeper than we were a week ago, so we’re happy with it.”

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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