Toronto Maple Leafs trade Francois Beauchemin for Joffrey Lupul and Jake Gardiner

Brian Burke, President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Wednesday that the team has traded defenceman Francois Beauchemin to the Anaheim Ducks. In exchange, the Maple Leafs will receive forward Joffrey Lupul, defenceman Jake Gardiner and a conditional Ducks’ fourth-round draft pick in the 2013 Entry Draft.

Lupul, 27, has five goals and eight assists in 26 games with the Ducks this season. The native of Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta was originally Anaheim’s first choice, seventh overall, in the 2002 Entry Draft. He has 117 goals and 121 assists for 238 points in 421 career NHL games with the Ducks, Oilers and the Flyers. He has exceeded the 50 point plateau twice (53 in 2005-06 and 50 in 2008-09). In the 2006 NHL Playoffs, he became the first Duck to score four goals in a game in Anaheim’s 4-3 win overtime win in Game 3 of the Conference Semi-Final at Colorado (May 9, 2006).

Gardiner, 20, was originally Anaheim’s first-round draft pick, 17th overall, in the 2008 Entry Draft. The native of Deephaven, Minnesota is currently playing in his third season at the University of Wisconsin. In 30 games this season with the Badgers, he has seven goals and 23 assists. He was named to the 2009 WCHA All-Rookie Team. Gardiner was a member the gold-medal winning U.S.A. team at the 2010 world junior hockey championships (7 gp, 3a).

Beauchemin, 30, has two goals and 10 assists while playing in all 54 games for the Maple Leafs in 2010-11. He joined the Leafs as a free agent on July 6, 2009.