Philadelphia, PA

The Philadelphia Flyers, who continued to add address the absence of Chris Pronger, beefed up their blueline with the acquisition of veteran defenseman Pavel Kubina from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Kubina, held out of the lineup as the Lightning explored their options, was acquired in exchange for forward Jon Kalinski and a pair of draft picks.

Philly sent a conditional second-round draft pick previously acquired from the Florida Panthers and a fourth-round pick in 2013 to the Lightning for the 34-year-old Czech, who is expected to fill a huge hole in the Flyers lineup.

Philadelphia has had the increasing need to find a replacement for Pronger. The Flyers captain has been out since November 19 with post concussion syndrome.

The team's blueline is expected to get a major lift from Kubina, who despite his advancing age is still regarded as a force.

Kubina, held out of Thursday's game against San Jose as the team sought to trade him and was scratched again for Saturday's game against Washington, played more than 19 minutes a game for the Lightning.

Kubina, a one-time All-Star who was a key member of Tampa Bay's 2004 Stanley Cup championship team, is a plus-1 despite the team's minus-34 goal differential.

The Lightning's former seventh round draft pick in 1996 has served two stints with Tampa Bay. Kubina has three goals and eight assists along with 59 penalty minutes over 52 games this season.

Since breaking into the NHL with Tampa Bay during the 1997-98 campaign, righthanded-shooting defenseman has compiled 110 goals and 272 assists in 953 games with the Lightning, Thrashers and Maple Leafs.

The trade for the 6-foot-4, 258-pound Kubina came two days after Philadelphia traded for Dallas Nicklas Grossman. The following moves not only completely turned the Flyers defense into a physically imposing force but could boost the team's run at the Stanley Cup.

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