Ducks Acquire Defenseman Lyubushkin from Buffalo

The Ducks have acquired defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin from the Buffalo Sabres for Minnesota's fourth-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft. Anaheim originally acquired Minnesota's draft pick March 3, 2023 with Nikita Nesterenko and Andrej Sustr for John Klingberg.

"We are excited to add Ilya to our blueline as we targeted another defenseman for the right side this offseason," Ducks General Manager Pat Verbeek said. "He is a big, physical, hard-nosed player that can kill penalties and will make us harder to play against."

Lyubushkin, 29 (4/6/1994), has appeared in 279 career NHL games with Buffalo (2022-23), Toronto (2021-22) and Arizona (2018-22), earning 5-34=39 points with 130 penalty minutes (PIM). Signed by Buffalo to a two-year contract through the 2023-24 NHL season July 13, 2022, Lyubushkin recorded 2-12=14 points with 38 PIM in 68 games with the Sabres last season. He led club blueliners in hits/60 (5.82) and blocked shots/60 (6.11), and was second in shorthanded time on ice (139:42) and shorthanded time on ice per game (2:03).

The 6-2, 200-pound defenseman combined for 77 games with Toronto and Arizona in 2021-22, setting single-season career highs in points (2-13=15), assists, hits (187), blocked shots (92), time on ice per game (17:27) and appearances (77). He became the 39th modern-day Russian-born defenseman to skate in 100 career NHL games Feb. 22, 2021 vs. Anaheim.

The Moscow, Russia native began his professional career with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL from 2013-18, recording 12-24=36 points with a +33 rating and 260 PIM in 262 games. He set KHL single-season career-highs in points (4-7=11), goals, assist and plus/minus (+15) in 2015-16. He helped Russia to bronze at the 2014 World Junior Championship, co-leading tournament defensemen in assists (0-4=4) and ranking tied for seventh in points.