Wild Trade Away Pominville and Scandella

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Former Sabres captain Jason Pominville is returning to Buffalo after being acquired along with defenseman Marco Scandella in a four-player trade with the Minnesota Wild.

In exchange, the Wild acquired forwards Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno as well as Buffalo's third-round pick in next year's draft. The trade was struck on Friday, a day before the NHL's free-agency signing period opens.

The Sabres addressed a considerable need on defense in adding Scandella. A defensive-minded player, he has seven seasons of NHL experience, in which he has 27 goals and 89 points in 373 games.

Pominville returns to Buffalo after the Sabres traded him to Minnesota in a multiplayer trade in April 2013.

Ennis is a playmaking forward whose production has been hampered by injuries over the past few seasons. Foligno scored a career-best 13 goals in his fourth full season with Buffalo last year.