Panthers Acquire LoVecchio and Knackstedt

The Florida Panthers have acquired F Jeff LoVecchio (Providence – AHL) and F Jordan Knackstedt (Providence – AHL) from the Boston Bruins in exchange for D Sean Zimmerman (Rochester – AHL) and a conditional seventh round draft pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Both players will report directly to the Rochester Americans (AHL).

Knackstedt has played 22 games for the Providence Bruins (AHL) this year scoring seven goals and five assists for 12 points. For his career in the AHL, the Saskatoon, Sask. native has played in 165 games, scoring 33 goals and 99 points.

LoVecchio has played 22 games for Providence this season, registering three assists. For his career in the AHL, the Chesterfield, MO native has played in 101 games, scoring 18 goals and 32 points.

Amerks Sign Veteran Battaglia to PTO

The club has signed veteran forward Bates Battaglia to a 25-game Professional Tryout agreement. Battaglia officially joined the team on Wednesday and made his Amerk debut later that evening against the first-place Hamilton Bulldogs.

Battaglia arrives in Rochester after scoring seven goals and adding 16 assists for 23 points in 46 combined games between Jokerit Helsinki (SM-liiga – Finnish Elite League) and the Syracuse Crunch (American Hockey League) in 2009-10. A native of Chicago Illinois, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound forward brings with him an impressive hockey resume that includes close to 900 professional appearances over the span of his 14-year professional career.

Originally a sixth-round selection (132nd overall) of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, Battaglia has registered 198 points (80+118) in 580 career NHL games with Carolina, Colorado, Washington and Toronto. For his tenure in the American Hockey League, Battaglia has collected 202 points (70+132) in 271 outings with teams in New Haven, Toronto and Syracuse. He posted his best season as a pro during the 2005-06 campaign with the Toronto Marlies, capturing career-highs in assists (47), points (67) and penalty minutes (86) to finish second on the team in overall scoring. In 893 pro career games, the 35-year-old has amassed 418 points (157+261) and 667 penalty minutes, including 37 points (15+22) in 78 postseason contests.