The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded center Joe Colborne to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. The deal was announced a few hours after the Maple Leafs completed their preseason schedule by beating the Detroit Red Wings 3-1 on Saturday night.
The Maple Leafs will receive a fourth-round pick from the Flames; however, that pick will become a third-rounder if Colborne scores 10 goals or 35 points in the 2013-14 regular season and Calgary qualifies for the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Colborne, 23, has one goal and six points in 16 NHL games during brief stints with the Maple Leafs in each of the past three seasons. He had three assists in six preseason games for Toronto this month.
The 6-foot-5, 213-pound center a first-round pick by the Boston Bruins in the 2008 NHL Draft and was acquired by Toronto in February 2011 as part of the package that sent defenseman Tomas Kaberle to Boston.
"As an organization we have had many discussions this past year about Joe, but never made an offer," Flames general manager Jay Feaster said in a statement. "With the opportunity to speak with Brian Burke and learn about Joe's hockey sense and character from someone who had him as a player and knows him so well, it became clear to us that this is the type of young, big center we need. He fits in very well with our rebuild and provides size up the middle which we believe is critical going forward. The fact that he is from Calgary is an added bonus. We look forward to welcoming him to the Flames family."
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