NEWARK, N.J. — The New Jersey Devils have acquired goaltender Jon Gillies of South Portland from the St. Louis Blues for future considerations.

In announcing the deal Wednesday, Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald said Gillies will report to New Jersey. Gillies, 27, appeared in one game for the Blues this season. He has played in 13 NHL games over four seasons with St. Louis and Calgary.

Gillies signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Blues on Dec. 8 and made 36 saves in a 3-2 overtime loss to Anaheim on Sunday – his first NHL game since April 7, 2018. He has played in five minor league games this season, with the Maine Mariners (ECHL, 1), Providence Bruins (AHL, 3) and Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL, 1), posting a 3-1-0 mark with a 1.76 goals-against average in his four AHL starts.

The Devils have already used five goalies this season and have had trouble finding a reliable backup for Mackenzie Blackwood since former Lewiston Maineiacs goalie Jonathan Bernier was placed on injured reserve because of a hip injury.

BLACKHAWKS SETTLE SUIT: The Chicago Blackhawks and a former player who said he was sexually assaulted by an assistant coach have settled a lawsuit that eviscerated the franchise’s once-sterling reputation and shook up the NHL, bringing questions about the sport’s culture back to the forefront.

The confidential settlement was announced after the sides met Wednesday with a mediator for the first time. Former first-round pick Kyle Beach and Blackhawks CEO Danny Wirtz, the son of team owner Rocky Wirtz, participated in the Zoom session.

“The Blackhawks hope that this resolution will bring some measure of peace and closure for Mr. Beach,” the team said in a statement attributed to Rocky and Danny Wirtz, and Susan Loggans, Beach’s attorney.

Loggans also is part of a second lawsuit filed in May by a former high school student whom Aldrich was convicted of assaulting in Michigan. That suit is still pending, but the sides plan to meet again in the future to discuss a resolution.

The Blackhawks said as late as mid-May that Beach’s allegations lacked merit. But an independent review, commissioned by the team and released in October, showed the organization badly mishandled Beach’s allegations that he was assaulted by Aldrich during the team’s 2010 Stanley Cup run. Aldrich told investigators the encounter was consensual.

CAPITALS: Nicklas Backstrom is back in the lineup. Evgeny Kuznetsov is out.

Backstrom was activated after missing the start of the season because of a left hip injury. The center is expected to play Wednesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Washington also announced that defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk and center Nic Dowd had been removed from the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. Forward Anthony Mantha was placed on long-term injured reserve.

While Backstrom, van Riemsdyk and Dowd were set to play against the Blackhawks, the team said Kuznetsov was unavailable because of COVID-19 protocol. The Capitals also have forward Garnet Hathaway of Kennebunkport in the protocol.

Kuznetsov, 29, has nine goals and 21 assists in 28 games this season.

Backstrom, who turned 34 last month, skated again Wednesday morning. The Swede had a team-high 38 assists and 53 points in 55 games last season.

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