The Toledo Walleye traded defenseman Kevin Harvey to Elmira on Friday in exchange for defenseman Joey Ryan.

Harvey was signed this summer to add grit and toughness to the team. He had zero points in 11 games this season. He also had 44 penalty minutes.

At 27, Harvey was the team's oldest player. Last season he piled up 194 penalty minutes in 37 games in the Central Hockey League. Harvey has 1,337 penalty minutes since making his professional debut in 2006-2007.

But he had a plus-minus rating of minus-6 so far this season for Toledo.

Ryan, 24, is in his fourth pro season and has played in 116 ECHL games. He has scored nine goals, with 30 assists, and 239 penalty minutes. This season with Elmira, Ryan has five assists and 19 penalty minutes in 11 games. The 6-1, 190 pound defenseman was selected in the second round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by Los Angeles.

Toledo hosts Reading on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Huntington Center. It is the start an eight-game homestand for the Walleye.

First Published November 18, 2011, 8:14 p.m.