For the second day in a row, centre Eric Belanger finds himself on the move.
A day after being traded by the Carolina Hurricanes to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Josef Vasicek, Belanger is back in the Eastern Conference, this time as a member of the Atlanta Thrashers.
Seeking to bolster a centre-ice position that has been a weak spot all season, the Thrashers acquired Belanger in a one-for-one deal for defenceman Vitali Vishnevski.
Vishnevski had been a healthy scratch of late for the Thrashers, who were deep on the blueline, following the return from injury of Steve McCarthy and others.
However, with Steve Rucchin going down with a head injury and unable to play in Saturday's game against the Vancouver Canucks, the Thrashers thought it prudent to acquire additional depth up the middle. Rucchin took a blow to the head from Colorado's Ben Guite in last Thursday's game between the teams, a 6-3 Atlanta win.
Belanger has been mostly cast as a checking centre throughout his career, but on a short-term basis, the Thrashers believe he can play on the top two lines, if necessary.
As for the Predators, Vishnevski adds experience and physical play to a skilled, but youthful blueline that is currently playing without Shea Weber, who is out with a jaw injury. Vishnevski had been averaging about 19 minutes of playing time per night for the Thrashers.
For Belanger, Atlanta represents his fourth stop of the current season. He began the year with the Los Angeles Kings, but was traded to Carolina along with defenceman Tim Gleason for highly rated prospect Jack Johnson.
The Thrashers also claimed 29-year-old Denis Hamel off waivers from Ottawa. Hamel had registered seven points (four goals, three assists) in 43 games with the Senators this season. The 6-1, 200-pound right wing has posted a plus or even rating in 40 out of 43 games, and is plus four for the season.