The Montreal Canadiens have sent veteran AHL netminder Cedrick Desjardins to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for 23 year old goaltending prospect Dustin Tokarski.

Desjardins had been struggling for the Bulldogs this season, battling for starts with Robert Mayer, who some would say has outplayed him.

The move seems to be a solid one for the Canadiens, who have been without a legitimate goaltending prospect since Jaroslav Halak was traded for Lars Eller and Ian Schultz in the summer of 2010.

Tokarski is by no means an amazing prospect, but at 23 he has a World Junior Hockey Championship gold medal, a Memorial Cup, and a Calder Cup to his name. The acquisition of Tokarski, 4 years Desjardins' junior, addresses an organizational need that many were worried about. The trade may also hint that the Canadiens will be going in a new direction for the backup job on the big club next season. Tokarski will likely get a shot to back up Carey Price, which will be cheaper than buying a veteran backup on the free agent market.

Official Press Release: