In a move designed to add to the blueline depth in the system, the Flyers have acquired 26-year-old offensive defenseman Janne Niskala from the Nashville Predators in exchange for minor leaguer Triston Grant and a 2009 seventh-round pick.

No one has ever questioned the 6-foot, 200 pound offensive ability. The question has always been his ability to defend and play a two-way game.

Niskala, 26, was originally drafted by Nashville in the fifth round (147th overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He has been unable to earn a spot on the big club, spending the entire 2007-08 season in the AHL with Milwaukee, where he tallied 19 goals and 25 assists for 44 points and 81 penalty minutes in 80 regular season games. He one point (an assist) in the Calder Cup playoffs.

The defenseman, who was born in Västerås, Sweden to Finnish parents, was also a member of the bronze medal-winning Team Finland at the 2008 IIHF World Championships in Halifax and Quebec City.

Prior to joining the Preds organization this past season, the well-traveled Niskala had been a top powerplay defenseman in Europe, scoring 19 goals and averaging nearly a point-per-game for Färjestad in 2006-07. His 49 points were tops among defensemen in the league. Prior to playing in Elitserien, he played in Finland's SM-Liiga with Lukko Rauma (2000-01 through 2004-05) and Switzerland's Nationalliga A for EV Zug (2005-06 season). He also played part of one season in the UK for Manchester.

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