Panthers ship Jokinen to Phoenix for 2 blue-liners

The Florida Panthers traded captain Olli Jokinen to the Phoenix Coyotes for defencemen Nick Boynton and Keith Ballard and a second-round draft pick on Friday.

In Jokinen, the Coyotes get a top forward who has scored 70 points or more in each of the last three seasons. The Finnish star had his best season in 2006-07, where he scored 39 goals and added 52 assists in 82 games.

Jokinen had been with the Panthers since the 2000-01 season after brief stints with Los Angeles and the New York Islanders, but according to reports he had recently asked for a trade. The 29-year-old has two years and $10.75 million US left on his contract.

Ballard, 25, had six goals and 15 assists in 82 games for the Coyotes last season. He's in the final year of a deal that will pay him $2.5 million.

Boynton, 29, scored three goals and added nine assists and 125 penalty minutes in 79 games. He'll make $2.95 million in 2008-09, the final year of his deal.