Blues grab Michalek from Coyotes

Mar 2, 2015 - 5:34 PM St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - The St. Louis Blues shored up their defense before Monday's trade deadline, acquiring veteran blueliner Zbynek Michalek from the Arizona Coyotes.

The Blues also acquired a conditional third-round draft pick in this year's draft while sending forward prospect Maxim Letunov to the Coyotes.

Michalek has two goals and six assists over 53 games with Arizona this season. He also has played to a minus-six rating for a Coyotes team that is second from last in the Western Conference standings.

The Blues, meanwhile, are in second place in the Central Division and the club ranks eighth in the NHL in team defense with 2.48 goals allowed per game.

Michalek has compiled 38 goals and 129 assists over 696 career games with the Coyotes, Minnesota Wild and Pittsburgh Penguins.

The 32-year-old Czech defenseman is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

Michalek has missed the last six games with an upper-body injury believed to be a concussion, but he is expected to be back practicing soon.

Letunov, 19, was selected by St. Louis in the second round of the 2014 draft.