NHL & Minor Leagues » Flyer´s-Trade:

Flyers Acquire Center Michal Handzus and goaltender Robert Esche from Phoenix for Brian Boucher

The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that they have acquired 6’5”, 217-pound center Michal Handzus and 6’1”, 212-pound goaltender Robert Esche from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for goaltender Brian Boucher

and the Nashville Predators’ third round pick in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, according to club President and General Manager Bob Clarke.

“We picked up a big 6’5” center who is, in our opinion, the complete package,” said Clarke in making the announcement. “He can play both ends of the ice, make plays and can score goals. He will be a real top addition up front for us. ”

“We weren’t happy with the situation in goal here,” said Clarke. “I don’t think that either goaltender (Boucher or Roman Cechmanek

) were happy with their own role on the team. We understood that Brian wants to be a number one goalie and Cechmanek feels that he has earned the right to be number one. I don’t think that either one was very comfortable last year, although neither one of them gave us any problems. They both expressed that they felt that they deserved to be the number one goalie and with the way the situation developed (because of the trade), Esche will back up Cechmanek and play about 20 to 25 games.”

Handzus, 25, recorded 15 goals and 30 assists for 45 points and 34 penalty minutes in 79 regular season games for Phoenix this past season. He was a member of the Slovakia team that captured the gold medal at the 2002 World Championship Tournament, posting five points (1G,4A) in six games. He also played for Slovakia in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. His 30 assists in 2001-02 were a new career high.

In four NHL seasons (1998-99 through 2001-02), Handzus has registered 58 goals and 88 assists for 146 points and 141 penalty minutes in 272 career regular season games for the St. Louis Blues (1998-99 to 2000-01) and Phoenix (2000-01 and 2001-02). He was acquired by Phoenix, along with Ladislav Nagy, the rights to Jeff Taffe and a first round pick in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, from the Blues in exchange for Keith Tkachuk on March 13, 2001. Handzus was a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward following the 1999-2000 season. He was originally drafted by St. Louis in the fourth round (101st overall) of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.

Esche, 24, registered a 6-10-2 record, one shutout and a 2.72 goals-against average (GAA) in 22 regular season games for Phoenix this past season. He also appeared in one game for the Coyotes’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Springfield Falcons, in 2001-02, posting a 1-0 win against Bridgeport on November 30.

In parts of four NHL seasons (1998-99 through 2001-02), Esche has compiled an 18-24-6 record, three shutouts and a 2.97 GAA in 58 career regular season games for Phoenix. He was originally drafted by the Coyotes in the sixth round (139th overall) of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.

Boucher, 25, appeared in 41 regular season games for the Flyers this past season, posting an 18-16-4 record, two shutouts and a 2.41 GAA. In 103 career regular season games for the Flyers over four seasons (1999-2000 through 2001-02), he compiled a 46-38-12 record, seven shutouts and a 2.45 GAA. He was originally drafted by the Flyers in the first round (22nd overall) of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.

The Flyers also sent the Coyotes the Predators’ third round pick in 2002 NHL Entry Draft which was acquired by the Flyers from Nashville in exchange for defenseman Andy Delmore on July 31, 2001.

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