DETROIT, March 19 (UPI) -- The league-leading Detroit Red Wings acquired veteran defenseman Jiri Slegr from the Atlanta Thrashers at Tuesday's NHL trade deadline for center Yuri Butsayev and a 2002 third-round draft pick.
Detroit reportedly had been pursuing Darius Kasparaitis but turned their attention to Slegr after Kasparaitis was traded to the Colorado Avalanche.
Slegr, 30, has played just 38 games this season while battling hip, back and knee injuries. He has three goals and five assists with 51 penalty minutes and a minus-21 rating.
The son of former NHL defenseman Jiri Bubla, Slegr also has played for Vancouver, Edmonton and Pittsburgh and has 45 goals and 161 assists in 530 NHL games.
Butsayev, 23, spent all but three games this season with Cincinnati of the American Hockey League, collecting 21 goals and 23 assists. A 1997 second-round draft pick, Butsayev broke into the NHL with the Red Wings in 1999-2000 and had five goals and three assists in 57 games.
The Thrashers made two other trades before the deadline. They sent veteran center Bob Corkum to the Buffalo Sabres for a 2002 fifth-round pick and acquired defenseman Kirill Safronov and right wing Ruslan Zainullin from the Phoenix Coyotes for left wing Darcy Hordichuk.
Monday, Atlanta shipped captain Ray Ferraro to the St. Louis Blues for a 2002 fourth-round pick.
