Wisniewski Dealt to Islanders.

Hours after the NY Islanders placed veteran defenseman Brendan Witt on waivers (believed as a prelude to buying out the remaining year of his contract) and after the Anaheim Ducks re-signed defenseman James Wisniewski to a one-year, $3.25 million contract the two teams combined for a trade which shipped Wisniewski to the Isles for a conditional 3rd round pick in 2011.

The 26-year-old Wisniewski had a career-best 30 points last season in 69 games. As the Isles website noted in announcing the trade, he also led the Ducks in block shots, was second in hits and fourth in ice time.

Wisniewski brings a decent balance of scoring and physical play to the Islanders and should be a good replacement for Witt.

The trade however leaves the Ducks desperately thin of skilled defensemen on their blueline, with only Lubomir Visnovsky and Toni Lydman the most notable, so we can likely expect them to make a trade to bolster that blueline.

Expect lots of speculation in the coming days linking the Ducks with Toronto's Tomas Kaberle, Edmonton's Sheldon Souray and Vancouver's Kevin Bieksa.

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