Wings add defenseman Zidlicky in second prudent trade

The Detroit Red Wings have managed to acquire an offensive, right-handed defenseman for a very reasonable price.

The Wings sent a third-round pick in the 2016 NHL draft to New Jersey this afternoon, in exchange for Marek Zidlicky, a 38-year-old who scored a dozen goals as recently as last season. He's in the last year of a contract worth $3 million.

On Sunday evening, the Wings added 36-year-old forward Erik Cole to their lineup to bolster their offense, sending two prospects and a second-round pick in this year's draft to the Dallas Stars for Cole and a conditional third-round pick.

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Today's deal was made two hours before the 3 p.m. trade deadline -- after discussions centering on Toronto Maple Leafs franchise defenseman Dion Phaneuf were scuttled due to the Maple Leafs' astronomical asking price.

Zidlicky figures to be a good addition to the Wings' lineup. He'll give them someone besides Niklas Kronwall who produces from the back end, makes the whole defense more mobile, and should help jump-start the team's forwards.

Zidlicky has four goals and 19 assists in 63 games this season. Last season, he had 12 goals and 30 assists in 81 games. Overall, he has 82 goals and 308 assists in 762 NHL games for New Jersey, Minnesota and Nashville.

Cole and Zidlicky are expected to join the Wings for Tuesday's practice and be available for Wednesday's game against the New York Rangers (8 p.m., NBCSN). Both Cole and Zidlicky are pending unrestricted free agents.

The Wings have added good, experienced players to their lineup without forfeiting anyone off of the current roster or a first-round pick. Cole and Zidlicky join a lineup that just went 4-1-1 through six straight games on the road, 6-3-2 in a February that featured just two home games, and 15-6-2 since the start of January. The ballpark figure for getting into the playoffs is 95 points, and with 21 games remaining, the Wings already are at 81.

The focus for the deadline was to improve if the price was right. The Wings haven't touched the lineup that has taken them this far. Now, that lineup will benefit from an increase in job competition, and coach Mike Babcock gets what he's wanted since last spring: a right-shooting defenseman.

He will, in fact, have two, as Alexey Marchenko has used February to show he belongs in the NHL.

Contact Helene St. James: hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames.