PITTSBURGH, March 10 (UPI) -- The New York Islanders, winless in their last four games, have acquired Randy Robitaille from Pittsburgh, and dealt center Claude Lapointe to Philadelphia.
The Islanders sent a fifth-round pick in this June's draft to Pittsburgh, but received a fifth-round choice from Philadelphia.
Robitaille had five goals and 12 assists in 41 games with Pittsburgh, which is 12th in the Eastern Conference and dealt All-Star right wing Alexei Kovalev to the New York Rangers last month.
The 28-year-old center will join his fifth team in as many seasons. He has 39 goals, 68 assists, and 63 penalty minutes in 239 career games.
Lapointe had six goals, six assists, and 20 penalty minutes with the Islanders. More defensive-minded than Robitaille, Lapointe, 34, has 120 goals, 173 assists, and 673 penalty minutes in 823 career games.
"Claude Lapointe is a very good faceoff man, a gritty player, and an intelligent player with a great work ethic," said Flyers General Manager Bob Clarke. "He upgrades the penalty-killing unit and the other lines. He can play wing or center, and will be an extremely useful player for us. He is a great checker, and for the style of game that we play, he is an in-your-face player. We think you can't have enough depth and that he will be a regular for us."
Philadelphia trails New Jersey by five points for the lead in the Atlantic Division, and is fourth in the Eastern Conference. The Flyers play at Washington Monday night.
The Islanders next play at Vancouver on Tuesday night.
