Blackhawks trade Tomas Kopecky

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The Chicago Blackhawks traded the rights to forward Tomas Kopecky to the Florida Panthers on Monday, days before he was set to become an unrestricted free agent.

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The team said Monday it will receive a 2012 pick, conditional to Nashville. If that pick is not available, Chicago gets Florida's seventh-round pick in 2013.

Kopecky, 29 , had career highs with 15 goals and 27 assists in 81 games played before injuring himself in the Western Conference playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks.

The Panthers have exclusive negotiating rights to Kopecky until Friday when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

It's the second trade in three days between the Hawks and Panthers and third in less than a year. The Hawks traded defenseman Brian Campbell to the Panthers on Friday for forward Rostislav Olesz. Last February, the Hawks traded forward Jack Skille for Michael Frolik and goalie Alexander Salak.

Former Blackhawks general manager Dale Tallon became the Panthers' GM in May, 2010.

Jesse Rogers covers the Blackhawks for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN 1000. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Jesse Rogers | email

Chicago Cubs beat reporter

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Jesse joined ESPN Chicago in September 2009 and covers the Chicago Cubs for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN Radio 1000.