Blackhawks trade Jack Skille for Michael Frolik

EDMONTON, Alberta — The Blackhawks have traded Jack Skille, Hugh Jessiman and David Pacan to the Florida Panthers in exchange for forward Michael Frolik and the rights to goaltender Alexander Salak.

General manager Stan Bowman always has maintained that he’s been looking to add depth at center. And, he gets that with Frolik, who has played wing, but was drafted as a center.

Skille, the seventh overall pick in 2005, has been used primarily on the fourth line this season. He signed a one-year deal worth $600,000 in the summer.

“It’s sad to see and say goodbye to all those great guys in the locker room {Wednesday night],” Skille said. “That’s a moment I’ll never forget.”

Frolik, 22, has eight goals and 29 points in 52 games for the Panthers this season. He was selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2006 draft.

“Frolik is a player we’ve been interested in actually dating back to draft year,” said. Hawks general manager Stan Bowman. “He fits into the future of our franchise with his offensive ability. … He’s just coming into his own in the NHL.”

Frolik, who is in the final year of a contract that carries a $1.275 million cap hit, has scored 21 goals in each of the past two seasons. He was drafted as a center, but has played wing. He was recently relegated to fourth-line duties for the Panthers.

Salak, 24, currently leads all goalies in the Swedish Elite League with a .925 save percentage and six shutouts, and ranks sixth with a 2.04 goals-against average in 41 games with Farjestad BK.

But this deal is about the Hawks wanting a top-six player. They hope they found it Frolik.

“We’ve got a player in here who has a pretty good pedigree at a young age,” Bowman said.