The Tampa Bay Lightning strengthened their first-place team by acquiring New York Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh.
The Rangers spurred their franchise overhaul by adding yet another first-round draft pick in consecutive days.
And Senators captain Erik Karlsson is staying in Ottawa for the remainder of the season after the league’s trading deadline passed on Monday afternoon.
The Lightning struck among the most significant deals by adding the 28-year-old McDonagh to a lineup already well-stocked with elite defensemen. Tampa Bay also acquired left wing J.T. Miller, a two-time 20-goal-scorer.
The Rangers acquired three players, including forward Vladislav Namestnikov, plus a first-round pick in this year’s draft and a conditional first-rounder in 2019.
The deal came a day after New York landed two draft picks, including a first-rounder, and three players in trading power forward Rick Nash to the Boston Bruins.
The Senators were unable to move Karlsson, a two-time Norris Trophy-winner, who will be making $7.5 million in the final year of his contract.
General manager Pierre Dorion acknowledged he fielded offers on every player over the past few months. When it came to Karlsson, Dorion says there was no ”franchise deal out there” for his franchise player.
The day was otherwise dominated by a series of moves involving four of seven Central Division rivals.
The Winnipeg Jets gave up a first-round draft pick as part of a trade to acquire six-time 20-goal-scoring forward Paul Stastny in a trade with St. Louis.
The Nashville Predators also gave up a first-round pick as part of a deal to land forward Ryan Hartman from the Chicago Blackhawks.
And the expansion Vegas Golden Knights added to their Western Conference-leading team by acquiring three-time 20-goal-scoring forward Tomas Tatar from Detroit. The Red Wings added three draft picks, including a first-round pick.
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