Bruins trade for Meszaros, claim Potter off waivers

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday traded defenseman Andrej Meszaros to the Boston Bruins for a conditional third-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft.

The pick would become a second-round selection if the Bruins reach the Eastern Conference Final and Meszaros plays two-thirds of their Stanley Cup Playoff games, or if he is re-signed before the draft. Meszaros can become an unrestricted free agent after the season. If the Bruins fail to reach the conference final and Meszaros signs after the draft, the Flyers will get the Bruins' fourth-round pick in 2015.

Meszaros, who can become an unrestricted free agent after the season, became expendable when the Flyers acquired defenseman Andrew MacDonald from the New York Islanders on Tuesday.

"It didn't have anything to do with salary," Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said. "Andrew MacDonald is a guy we focused on. He's a guy we believe will make our team better with an eye on the future. We have an interest in keeping Andrew longer term, and the trade with Andrej, assuming it all goes through, we looked at our future too in terms of the draft pick."

The Bruins have been looking to add veteran depth on defense since the season-ending knee injury sustained by Dennis Seidenberg in December. They claimed Corey Potter off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.

Meszaros has five goals and 12 assists in 38 games averaging 17:22 of ice time. Though he has played six of the past seven games, he was a healthy scratch 23 times in the Flyers' first 55 games. He played four games for Slovakia at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

The 28-year-old is healthy for the first time in three seasons after back, shoulder and Achilles injuries.

"I spoke to Andrej briefly about a half-hour ago," Holmgren said. "I thanked him and wished him well. Andrej has been through a lot of good times and bad times in this organization. Andrej was always a good guy, always had a smile on his face. He's a good guy. He had a tough 18 months with all the injuries but he never complained. Even this year when he wasn't in the lineup he never complained. He's a good kid."

Taken by the Ottawa Senators with the 23rd pick of the 2004 NHL Draft, Meszaros has 54 goals and 219 points in 571 games with the Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning and the Flyers.

Potter, 30, has five assists in 16 games this season for the Oilers. He has eight goals and 32 points in 120 games for the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Oilers.

Follow Adam Kimelman on Twitter: @NHLAdamK