Leafs send Kapanen to Pens for first rounder

TORONTO (CP) — The Toronto Maple Leafs have cleared some salary-cap space and acquired a first-round pick this year by sending winger Kasperi Kapanen to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a multiplayer deal Tuesday.

Kapanen, defence prospect Jesper Lindgren and winger Pontus Aberg were shipped to the Penguins for the 15th overall pick in this year’s draft, forwards Evan Rodrigues and Filip Hallander and defenceman David Warsofsky.

The trade gives the Leafs a bit more salary-cap flexibility. Kapanen has a cap hit of US$3.2 million for the next two years.

“We’re happy with it,” Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said. “Kappy is an extremely good NHL player. I don’t think it should be lost that he’s going off our roster and will be a great fit in Pittsburgh. So our hope is that this works out for us and for Pittsburgh, and for Kasperi as well who gave us a great five years as a member of our organization.”

Toronto now has a first-round pick back in this year’s draft after trading its first-rounder (13th overall) to the Carolina Hurricanes along with Patrick Marleau last summer. The Hurricanes eventually bought out the veteran winger.

Dubas said the Maple Leafs have more work to do, including getting more cap flexibility and coming to terms with restricted free agents Ilya Mikheyev and Travis Dermott. He also said he’s open to moving the first-round pick “if the right deal came along.”

“I don’t think this is going to be it for us,” he said.

The trade involves two teams eliminated in the qualifying round of the NHL’s post-season earlier this month in Toronto.

The Leafs lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets, while Pittsburgh fell to the Montreal Canadiens, the lowest-seeded team in the NHL’s restart.