MONTREAL -- The Montreal Canadiens, dealing quantity for what they hope will prove quality, Wednesday dealt forwards Doug Wickenheiser and Greg Paslawski and defenseman Gilbert Delorme to the St. Louis Blues for center Perry Turnbull.
Turnbull, the Blues' first-round draft choice in 1979, has 14 goals and 8 assists in 31 games this season, and will join the Canadiens in time for their game in Quebec Thursday.
'Montreal has been trying to get Turnbull for the last two months,' said Ron Caron, St. Louis director of player personnel. 'Recently I thought about it and decided a trade might give us better balance.
'I started talks with Serge (Canadiens managing director Savard) last Monday and concluded the deal Wednesday afternoon.'
In obtaining the 22-year-old Wickenheiser, who was the first choice overall in the 1980 entry draft, the Blues get a highly touted center who has never quite fulfilled the promise expected of him in Montreal.
In 205 lifetime NHL games, the former Regina Pats junior has scored only 49 goals and 66 assists. He was often singled out by the fans and local media for lack of production while the Canadiens struggled through disappointing seasons.
'I never got untracked in Montreal,' Wickenheiser said after learning of the trade. 'The first year was tough, although it sort of straightened itself out.
'But I never did the things that were expected of me. Hopefully, in St. Louis I'll be able to.'
Paslawski, 22, a rookie right wing, scored one goal and four assists in 25 games this season, while third-year player Delorme, 22, has notched two goals and seven assists.
'I'm satisfied with the trade,' Delorme said. 'With St. Louis, I'll get a chance to play regularly, which I haven't with the Canadiens for the last three weeks.'
