Brad Boyes Traded To Buffalo For 2nd Round Pick

Confirmed tonight after the Blues fell to Calgary, the Blues have traded Brad Boyes to Buffalo for their second round pick in 2011.

Boyes, 28, had just 12 goals and 29 assists in 62 games this year. Before he was signed to a four-year contract extension worth $16 million Boyes posted a career-high 43 goals in 2007-08. He went on to score 33 the following year before dropping to just 14 goals last season.

While his 12 goals this year will surely put him ahead of last year's total, it had become clear that Boyes has struggled to regain his scoring form of just a couple seasons ago. Clearly the Sabres hope that a change of scenery will spark another offensive outburst from the center-turned-winger, much as it did when he was acquired from Boston back in 2006-07.

The trade puts the Blues even closer to the CBA-mandated salary floor and likely signals an increase in ice time for a player like Philip McRae, who is supposed to be a scorer but has had a hard time cracking into the Blues' top lines since his latest recall from Peoria.