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Wings acquire defenseman Ryan Wagner for Chris Cloutier

The midseason trade helps the Wings address some defensive concerns

The Wings' Chris Cloutier (45) celebrates a goal against the Buffalo Bandits in the third quarter during the Wings' inaugural game since returning to Philadelphia at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. The Wings lost 17-15. TIM TAI / Staff Photographer
The Wings' Chris Cloutier (45) celebrates a goal against the Buffalo Bandits in the third quarter during the Wings' inaugural game since returning to Philadelphia at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. The Wings lost 17-15. TIM TAI / Staff PhotographerRead moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer

The Wings traded forward Chris Cloutier to the Buffalo Bandits on Wednesday in exchange for defenseman Ryan Wagner and a 2021 first-round pick.

The midseason trade helps the Wings address some defensive concerns. Two weeks ago in their 13-12 overtime loss to the Toronto Rock, the team struggled mightily in the fourth quarter, allowing five unanswered goals in the period as Toronto turned a 10-6 deficit into an 11-10 lead. Defensive starters Dylan Evans, Zach Reid, and Anthony Joaquim went down with minor injuries, and the team could not compensate for their loss.

Wagner, 24, was drafted by the Vancouver Warriors in 2015 out of Queens University in Kingston, Ontarioo. Last season was the best of his career. He had a goal and 10 assists (11 points) and collected 77 loose balls. This season, the native of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, collected 14 loose balls in four games with Buffalo.

"This was a very difficult decision, but as an organization moving forward we thought it’s the best for not only the Philadelphia Wings, but for Chris,” Wings head coach and general manager Paul Day said in a statement. “Ryan is a fast, physical defenseman and has played for our defensive coach Ian Ruble. We needed some help defensively and we’re able to acquire a very good athlete who’s only 24 and already has quite a bit of experience in the league.”

The Wings (1-6) drafted Cloutier, a University of North Carolina product, second overall in the 2018 entry draft. The forward from Kitchener, Ontario, was second on the team in scoring, with 24 points (seven goals and 17 assists). He was the rookie of the year last season for the Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse, a professional outdoor league.