Leafs, Senators, Canadiens get jump on trade deadline

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock has shuffled warily through fourth-line centres this year to no avail. That shuffling ends now.

The Leafs sent a conditional second-round pick in 2017 and minor-leaguer Byron Froese to Tampa on Monday for Brian Boyle, who is on an expiring contract. Boyle is six foot six and 244 pounds and he’s capable in the faceoff circle, winning 53 per cent of his draws this year, including 50 per cent on the penalty kill. The 32-year-old will likely be trusted to take not only short-handed faceoffs, but key defensive zone draws, both areas of instability for Toronto this season.

The Ottawa Senators acquired forward Alex Burrows from Vancouver in exchange for prospect Jonathan Dahlen. The trade gives the Senators a skilled pest with plenty of playoff experience at forward. Burrows, 35, has played 822 regular-season games with the Canucks, posting 193 goals, 191 assists and 1,066 penalty minutes. He has added 19 goals and 15 assists in 70 playoff games. His best offensive days are behind him — he has nine goals in 55 games this season — but he will still bring sandpaper to the club.

The Montreal Canadiens acquired Jordie Benn from the Dallas Stars for Greg Pateryn and a fourth-round pick in the 2017 draft in an exchange of defencemen. Benn, the older brother of Dallas allstar Jamie Benn, is a leftshot defenceman who can also play on the right side. With Pateryn’s departure, the Montreal roster has only Shea Weber and Jeff Petry as natural righties. The six-foottwo, 200-pound Benn has two goals and 13 assists and is minus-3 in 58 games this season.