"Sharks general manager Doug Wilson tinkered around the edges of his roster Tuesday, acquiring two forwards with the potential to bolster his team's third and fourth lines without giving up much in return.

First, Wilson sent a fifth-round pick in the 2011 NHL entry draft to the Atlanta Thrashers for Ben Eager, a rugged 6-foot-2, 230-pound left wing who was part of last season's Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks team.

The Sharks then filed a waiver claim for center Kyle Wellwood, blocking an attempt by the St. Louis Blues to bring Wellwood -- a veteran of 338 games with the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs -- back to the NHL after a short stint in the Russian Kontinental Hockey League. Wellwood, in fact, was taking part in the Blues' morning skate when he got word he would be suiting up for San Jose instead.

While all this was transpiring, the NHL handed Scott Nichol a four-game suspension for a hit to the head of Phoenix Coyotes defenseman David Schlemko during Monday's 4-2 victory.

Nichol said the length of the suspension caught him off guard.

"I really didn't think I'd get that many games," said Nichol, who was not penalized at the time of the hit. "It was a north-south hit, it wasn't a blindside hit or anything like that."

Beyond the injuries and Nichol's suspension, Wilson explained the roster additions by saying the season has reached the point where the playoffs are not that far away and teams do not want to rely as heavily on young players from the minors.

"This is the man's time of the year," he said, "and adding to our depth of players who can contribute in those areas is very important."

Eager also provides a physical presence so that Ryane Clowe, who has a team-high nine fights this season and missed the Phoenix game with a leg injury, may not have to take on that role as often in the future.

Wellwood, Wilson said, "gives us veteran depth with our injury situation and adds experience for our coaches to draw upon."

Eager, who has 77 penalty minutes this season as well as three goals and 10 points, said he prides himself on "trying to come and compete every night, be a tough player to play against."

During his two seasons with Vancouver, Wellwood said, he focused on playing smart -- "winning faceoffs, playing smart defense, handling the puck in good situations" -- but was not very dangerous on offense."