Interesting swap of defensemen between the Minnesota Wild and the Edmonton Oilers, who are in many ways similar to each other.

Nick Schultz, who went from Minnesota to Edmonton, and Tom Gilbert, who went back to Minnesota in the deal, are 29 years old. Both have contracts that carry a hefty salary-cap hit: $3.5 million per year for Schultz and $4 million for Gilbert. Both of their contracts will end after the 2013-14 season.

Gilbert, who was invited to the U.S. orientation camp before the 2010 Winter Olympics, has three goals and 17 assists and is a right-handed shot, while Schultz is a left-handed shot who has collected one goal and two assists this season.

For Gilbert, the move is a homecoming of sorts, as he is a Bloomington, Minn., native. He will bring more of an offensive presence to a team that recently traded veteran puck-moving defenseman Marek Zidlicky. Between Gilbert and Kurtis Foster, who came over in the Zidlicky deal, the Wild will have added a couple of younger players who should help a power play that ranks 23rd.

Schultz, a popular player in Minnesota, will bring a little more defensive responsibility to the Oilers, whose No. 1 priority this offseason will be improving their blue line.