Unable to get defenseman Jack Johnson's signature on an entry-level contract after several overtures, the Carolina Hurricanes decided to go in a different direction Friday afternoon with their star-in-waiting.

Jack Johnson

Johnson, who is about to embark on his sophomore season with the University of Michigan hockey program, was the centerpiece of a four-player trade consummated with the Los Angeles Kings. Carolina sent Johnson, the third-overall selection in the 2005 Entry Draft, and veteran defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky to the Kings in exchange for young defenseman Tim Gleason and veteran forward Eric Belanger.

Carolina GM Jim Rutherford pulled the trigger on the deal after unsuccessful attempts to get Johnson -- considered a can't-miss prospect by most observers -- to forego the rest of his college eligibility to sign a pro contract with the club.

The desire to get Johnson in the fold became much more acute as NHL training camps approached because of the news that defenseman Frantisek Kaberle's injured shoulder had not healed sufficiently after resting it during Carolina's short off-season. He is out at least four months, and perhaps as long as six months, after undergoing shoulder surgery Sept. 11.

Veteran Bret Hedican is also coming back from a pair of off-season surgeries -- to his hip and thumb -- that have his early season status up in the air.

Despite having promising youngsters Anton Babchuk and Andrew Hutchinson on the cusp of cracking the lineup, Rutherford felt the team needed a more proven defender as it begins defense of its Stanley Cup title.

Enter Gleason, a promising 23-year-old with a season-and-a-half of NHL experience under his belt with Los Angeles. Last season, Gleason had two goals, 21 points and 77 penalty minutes with the Kings. A first-round pick of Ottawa back in 2001, Gleason has untapped offensive potential and plays with the physical menace that was partially lost when the hard-hitting Aaron Ward left Carolina through free agency this summer.

In 125 NHL games, Gleason has 28 points, 98 penalty minutes and a plus-1 rating.

The Hurricanes also received the 28-year-old Belanger, a solid two-way center with five years experience in the NHL. Belanger had 37 points last year.

"This deal improves our forward lines and adds a very good, young defenseman with NHL experience to the Hurricanes," Rutherford said on the team's website. "Eric and Tim strengthen the balance of our team."

Belanger could easily slide into the third-line center role vacated when Matt Cullen joined the New York Rangers as a free agent this summer. Belanger is also an excellent faceoff man, taking 30 percent of Los Angeles' draws last year despite playing on the third line. Belanger has 150 points in 323 NHL games.

The Kings were more than happy to make the deal, and wait for Johnson's eventual decision to turn pro because they have depth at both of the positions they used in the package.

The Kings signed All-star defenseman Rob Blake this summer to bolster a blue line that already has established vets Lubomir Visnovsky, Mattias Norstrom, Brent Sopel and Aaron Miller in the fold. As a result, Gleason was pegged to be a third-pairing defender to start the season.

That is a role that the well-traveled Tverdovsky, 30, is more than capable of handling. In his ninth NHL season, the Russian is an adept skater that can lug the puck up the ice and create offense with his vision and intelligence.

Tverdovsky can also serve as a force on the power play, giving new coach Marc Crawford a third viable blue line option in his man-advantage rotation. Tverdovsky has 313 points in 687 NHL games. He also has two Stanley Cup titles on his resume.

At center, the Kings have an embarrassment of riches. Anze Kopitar, 19, has been a revelation and should see scoring-line duty, along with veteran Craig Conroy. Free-agent acquisition Alyn McCauley and veteran Derek Armstrong are established players capable of handling lower-line duty. Plus, the team acquired highly touted prospect Patrick O'Sullivan in the draft-day this summer that sent Pavol Demitra to Minnesota.

But, it is Johnson that is the gem in this deal on the Los Angeles side of the equation.

In his freshman season with the Wolverines, Johnson tallied 10 goals, 22 assists and 149 penalty minutes in 38 games. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound defenseman also played two years in the highly regarded United States National Team Developmental Program, piling up 46 points and 236 penalty minutes in 67 appearances during his tenure there.

A dominant force for Team USA at the most recent World Junior Championships, Johnson has both the offensive upside and defensive physicality to mature into an elite two-way defenseman at the NHL level.