Pens Trade Barnaby To Lightning

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Primeau at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds will add more size to the Penguins in an effort by general manager Craig Patrick to toughen up the team.

"It's easier to fulfill what they want in him than what we wanted," Lightning general manager Rick Dudley said of Primeau. "We're looking for someone to take us out of the wilderness, and he couldn't do that. But you put him on a team where he's not a key guy, and I'm not saying he won't be an important guy, but with the people they got there he can fall into a role."

Primeau is happy to be traded to Penguins where he will have a chance to play with his childhood idol Mario Lemieux.

"When I was growing up, he was always my favorite player and my sister's favorite player," Primeau said. "I'll probably be a little nervous at first, but I'm looking forward to it."

Barnaby saw his ice time diminishing this season and didn't seem to find a role with the Penguins.

"Matthew is a gritty, miserable guy to play against," Dudley said. "Matthew is going to be real good for our guys. He's an intense son of a gun, and not afraid to say what he is thinking. I always felt he's more skilled than a lot of people give him credit for."