Jackets acquire Artemi Panarin, Tyler Motte and draft pick from Chicago

COLUMBUS, OHIO --- The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired left wing Artemi Panarin, a 2016-17 Second Team NHL All-Star and NHL Rookie of the Year in 2015-16, left wing Tyler Motte and a sixth round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for left wing Brandon Saad, goaltender Anton Forsberg and a fifth round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, club General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced today.
"Artemi Panarin was the best rookie in the NHL two years ago, a second team All-Star this past season and is one of the most dynamic offensive players in the NHL," said Kekalainen. "There is a cost to adding a player like Artemi, as well as a very good NHL prospect in Tyler Motte, but we believe this is a very good move for our team. We wish Brandon and Anton well and thank them for their contributions to our organization."

Panarin, 25, has registered 61 goals and 90 assists for 151 points with 53 penalty minutes and a +26 plus/minus rating, while scoring 17 power play goals and 12 game-winners in 162 career NHL games with Chicago. Last season, he racked up 31-43-74, 21 penalty minutes and was +18 in 82 games and was named a Second Team NHL All-Star earlier this week.
Panarin won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's top rookie in 2015-16 after tallying 30-47-77, 32 penalty minutes with a +8 plus/minus rating, eight power play and seven game-winning goals in 80 games. He led all rookies in goals, assists, points, game-winning goals and multi-point games (21). He also became the first rookie since Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby to record 10 three-point games in a season.
The 5-11, 170-pound native of Korkino, Russia was a KHL All-Star with SKA St. Petersburg in 2014-15, helping his club to the Gagarin Cup as KHL champions and earning KHL First All-Star Team honors with 26-36-62 in 54 games. He helped Russia win bronze medals at the 2016 and 2017 IIHF World Championships, leading this year's tournament in scoring with 4-13-17 in nine games and earning a spot on the tournament All-Star Team and named as the best forward. He won a silver medal at the 2015 tournament, won gold at the 2011 World Junior Championships and was a member of Team Russia at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey tournament.

Motte, 22, split his rookie pro season in 2016-17 between Chicago and the American Hockey League's Rockford IceHogs. He notched 4-3-7, 14 penalty minutes and was +2 in 33 games with the Blackhawks and added 10-6-16 and 20 penalty minutes in 43 outings with Rockford. He was selected by Chicago in the fourth round, 121st overall, in the 2013 NHL Draft.
A native of St. Clair, Michigan, Motte played three seasons at the University of Michigan, registering 50-55-105, 72 penalty minutes and was +38 in 107 games from 2013-16. He tallied a career-high 32-24-56 with 36 penalty minutes and a +28 plus/minus rating in 2015-16. He earned First Team All-Big Ten honors and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award that season. An alumnus of the United States National Team Development Program, he represented Team USA at the 2016 IIHF World Championships and won a bronze medal at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championships.
Saad, 24, who joined the Blue Jackets via trade with the Blackhawks in June 2015, collected 55-51-106, 22 PIM and was +24 in 160 games with the Blue Jackets and represented the club at the 2016 NHL All-Star Game. He has registered 107-125-232 with 66 penalty minutes and a +68 plus/minus rating in 368 career NHL games with the Blue Jackets and Blackhawks.
Forsberg, 24, was selected by Columbus in the seventh round, 188th overall, in the 2011 NHL Draft. He appeared in 10 games with the Blue Jackets over the past three seasons, going 1-8-0 with a 4.02 goals-against average and .879 save percentage. He has posted a 73-35-10 record with a 2.22 goals-against average, .923 save percentage and nine shutouts in 126 career American Hockey League games and helped the Lake Erie Monsters capture the 2016 Calder Cup championship.