Sutter was charged with misdemeanour assault in Arizona last week after he reportedly punched a cab driver. According to TSN's Darren Dreger, Sutter's arrest had nothing to do with the trade, saying the trade has been in the works for weeks.
Sutter has played in 18-career NHL regular season games, and has just one goal and one assist. In four games this season, the 23-year-old has one assist.
White, who Toronto traded to the Flames during their roster overhaul last season, is minus-10 in his last eight games. In 16 games this season, he has scored two goals and assisted on another four. In 339-career NHL regular season games, White has 34 goals and 89 assists.
Kostopoulus, a NHL journeyman, is known more for his ability to agitate opposing players rather than his ability, or lack there of, to put the puck in the net. He has 604 penalty minutes in 475-career NHL regular season games.
Babchuck, a former member of the Chicago Blackhawks, has played in 185-career NHL regular season games, scoring 26 goals and 43 assists and has a plus/minus rating of minus-5. He is off to an OK start this season, scoring three goals and five assists for a total of eight points, while going minus-4. The 6'5", 212 pound Kiev, Ukraine native has been rotating between the Hurricanes and Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League.
With the move, the Flames have lost a solid top four defenceman in Ian White, but also gained a decent player in Anton Babchuck. Kostopoulus, meanwhile, gives the Flames an extra tough guy and someone who can score occasionally.
Some people would say the trade is a sign of things to come for the Flames, who have not received the offensive production they expected from Alex Tanguay and Olli Jokinen.
General manager Darryl Sutter's and head coach Brent Sutter's jobs have been put into question lately, thanks to the team's 7-9-0 start. More moves could very well be on the horizen.
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