The Arizona Coyotes have traded a pair of former first-round picks to the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Coyotes dealt center Dylan Strome and forward Brendan Perlini to the Blackhawks in exchange for Chicago forward Nick Schmaltz, the team announced Sunday night.
Strome was the third overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, taken after top-two picks Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel. Both McDavid and Eichel have become All-Stars in the NHL, while Strome scored just seven goals in 47 career games for the Coyotes.
Perlini was selected by the Coyotes with the 12th overall pick in the 2014 draft. He scored 33 goals and added 24 assists in 152 games with Arizona. His contract is set to expire after the 2018-19 season.
Schmaltz was selected by the Blackhawks with the 20th pick in the 2014 draft. He contributed 29 goals and 62 assists in 162 games in Chicago, including two goals and nine assists in 23 games this season. His contract is also set to expire at the end of the season.
"Nick is a dynamic forward with top line potential. We feel he can be a core player of our team now and into the future. He's a good complement to our evolving forward group and a rare combination of speed, skill and creativity," Coyotes general manager John Chayka said in a statement.
The Coyotes are looking for a boost on offense after scoring just eight goals in their last six games. The Coyotes lost five of those contests.
