DENVER, March 19 -- Colorado Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix acquired hard-hitting defenseman Darius Kasparaitis from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday in his latest NHL trade deadline deal.
To get the 29-year-old Lithuanian, the Avalanche parted with left wing Ville Nieminen and defenseman Rick Berry.
It's the fourth deadline deal in as many years for Lacroix, who obtained Theo Fleury in 1999, Ray Bourque in 2000 and Rob Blake last season.
The affable Kasparaitis was a popular player in Pittsburgh but became expendable because he is eligible for unrestricted free agency at the end of the season. He has two goals, 12 assists and 123 penalty minutes in 69 games.
Kasparaitis fills the void left by Bourque, who retired after finally ending his Stanley Cup quest with the Avalanche last June.
Nieminen, 24, has 10 goals and 14 assists in 53 games this season, his third in the NHL. A 1997 third-round draft pick, the 6-foot, 200-pound Finn scored 14 goals in 50 games in 2000-01 and added four goals and six assists in 23 playoff games.
Berry, 24, is completing his first full season in the NHL and has 60 penalty minutes in 57 games.NEWLN: Content: 15031000
