The San Jose Sharks have added some depth to their blue-line, acquiring defensive defenceman Niclas Wallin from the Carolina Hurricanes. Along with Wallin, the Sharks also acquired a fifth round draft pick in exchange for Buffalo’s second round draft pick.

Wallin was part of Carolina’s 2006 Stanley Cup-winning team, and had earned the moniker “Secret Weapon” for his infrequent but well-timed offensive contributions (bizarrely, Wallin holds the franchise record for overtime playoff goals, with three). His playoff experience made him attractive to Sharks’ GM Doug Wilson:

“Niclas is a playoff-hardened, veteran player with lots of postseason experience. He has a history of playing his best when the games mean the most.”

Wallin’s having a fine season for the Hurricanes, but the fact remains that he’s a depth defenceman playing in the league’s weakest division. He plays a simple, physical game, although his 125 hits should be taken with a grain of salt, as Carolina’s RTSS scorers credit quite a few more hits than the league average.

From Behind the Net, here’s a sampling of Wallin’s 5-on-5 advanced statistics over the past few seasons:

It isn’t an especially attractive picture; it’s a portrait of a defensive specialist who plays on the third-pairing and gets outscored. Wallin’s numbers are better this year, but he isn’t going to be more than third-pairing guy and I wonder a little bit how he’ll adjust to playing in the tougher Western Conference. I should also mention at this juncture that Wallin was a big part of the Carolina penalty kill.

I’m fairly indifferent to this move; Wallin’s a decent pickup but I wonder if the Sharks wouldn’t have been better off claiming a guy like Nick Boynton on re-entry waivers; not only does Boynton bring the same skill-set, but he’d be cheaper and Anaheim would be paying part of his salary. Then the Sharks would have been able to use that second round pick in another deal, closer to the deadline.

Over at Fear The Fin, their reaction is much the same: they like the move, but they worry that the Sharks’ precious cap space could have been put to better use. At Canes Country, they’re celebrating Wallin’s time with the Hurricanes; despite his modest role he was a popular player in a city where he played for a long time.