Wild acquire Zidlicky, Brunette

The Minnesota Wild were active on the first day of free agency as they swung a trade with the Nashville Predators for defenceman Marek Zidlicky and signed free agent forward Andrew Brunette.

Zidlicky, 31, was obtained by Minnesota in exchange for forward Ryan Jones and a 2009 second-round draft pick.

In four seasons with Nashville, he amassed 175 points and 299 penalty minutes in 307 games. Last season, he was the leading scorer among all Predators defencemen with five goals and 38 assists (43 points) in 79 games.

The Czech rearguard has two years and $7 million remaining on his current contract.

Jones was drafted in the fourth round of the 2004 draft and played in eight games for the AHL's Houston Aeros after leaving Miami University of Ohio.

Brunette, 35, signed a three-year, $7 million deal to return to Minnesota, where he played from 2001-2004.

Last season, Brunette scored 19 goals and added 40 assists (59 points) in 82 games for the Colorado Avalanche. In 788 NHL regular season games with the Washington Capitals, Nashville Predators, Atlanta Thrashers, Minnesota as well as Colorado, Brunette has scored 191 goals with 788 assists.

The Sudbury, Ont., native is also the league's reigning iron man with his consecutive-games-played streak at 453.