Ducks acquire Ryan Garbutt, with whom they have a bit of history, for Jiri Sekac

The past is expected to be swept under the rug when Ryan Garbutt joins the Ducks, even though it requires a big broom.

The Ducks on Thursday acquired Garbutt from Chicago in exchange for Jiri Sekac in a swap of left wings that gives Anaheim an antagonist with a mean streak. As a member of the Dallas Stars, Garbutt broke the leg of former Ducks defenseman Stephane Robidas in a collision in Game 3 of the 2014 first-round playoff series and was ejected in Game 5 for spearing Corey Perry.

Garbutt was en route to join the Ducks in Washington and left that history behind.

“I think that stuff that happens on the ice, guys in this league know emotions run high, especially in the playoffs,” Garbutt said. “I know all the guys over there compete every shift, and I wouldn’t expect anything different when I play with them as well.”

The 30-year-old Garbutt has 242 penalty minutes in 241 career games with Dallas and Chicago. He is a depth forward, although he scored 17 goals as recently as 2013-14. The move signals a transition from speed to a harder forechecking style.

“We’re trying to solidify our bottom six [in the forward group] and our style,” Ducks General Manager Bob Murray said. “We kind of hoped Jiri would fit into our top-six grouping and it wasn’t working properly. It looked like it was best for us to move on.

“We’ve played against Ryan enough to know what kind of player he is. He’s a good skater who plays hard and plays on the inside. Our team definitely needs to play a little harder, and a little more on the inside.”

Garbutt said it was “a bit of a shock” to be traded but looked forward to being a nemesis on behalf of the Ducks.

“If I’m being hard to play against, I know I’m doing my job,” he said. “My first job is to help the team with whatever they need me to do. I come to the rink to play hard and play with speed. It’s those intangibles I bring to the rink every day.”

It was thought that Sekac, 23, would take a bigger role this season, his first full season since he arrived from Montreal in a trade for Devante Smith-Pelly last February. But Sekac, like the Ducks, struggled at the start and missed 18 games with a high ankle sprain. He had one goal and three points in 22 games.

Murray said he’s still active on the market, with the Ducks currently out of a playoff spot with 37 games left. The trade deadline is noon Pacific time on Feb. 29.

“It’s all about trying to get our chemistry,” he said. “We’re not good enough right now. We have to keep trying to get better.”

Game time changed

The game time for Friday was moved up to 2 p.m. PST so that the Ducks can fly to Detroit earlier for Saturday’s game because of a huge snowstorm that is supposed to hit Washington, D.C.

NEXT UP

AT WASHINGTON

When: Friday, 2 p.m. PST.

On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 830

Update: The Ducks begin a three-game, five-day trip by playing the NHL-leading Capitals, who have been rested for three days and are 18-3-1 at home. “We’re going into Washington, which is a tough building, and a tough opponent, so we’re going to have to be ready for it,” Ryan Getzlaf said. Former Kings center Mike Richards has averaged 12-plus minutes in three games with the Capitals. Ducks Coach Bruce Boudreau is 1-2-1 against his former team.

sports@latimes