Rangers send McDonagh to Bolts
Lightning load up on busy NHL trade day, as Rangers continue rebuild that included Nash
Paul Stastny, Evander Kane and Thomas Vanek changed teams ahead of the NHL trade deadline Monday. Erik Karlsson, Mike Green and Jack Johnson all stayed put. But the blockbuster move of the day came from the New York Rangers, who sent captain Ryan McDonagh and forward J.T. Miller to the already talent-laden Tampa Bay Lightning for scoring winger Vladislav Namestnikov, prospects Brett Howden and Libor Hajek, a 2018 first-round draft pick and conditional second-round selection. The Lightning, who entered Monday night’s action with a league-best 87 points, were seeking an experienced left defenceman to play with Victor Hedman and boost their Stanley Cup ambitions. It cost them Namestnikov, 25, who’s having his best season with 20 goals in 62 games, as well as some of their deep pool of top prospects and picks. There was a sense of anticipation regarding Karlsson, the two-time Norris Trophy winner who ended up staying with the Ottawa Senators. Defenceman Green also remained in Detroit, while Johnson, who asked out of Columbus, is still a Blue Jacket. The Winnipeg Jets sent a 2018 first-round pick, conditional 2020 fourth-round selection and prospect Erik Foley to the St. Louis Blues for 32-year-old Stastny, an impending UFA who reportedly waived a no-movement clause to join a Stanley Cup contender. The Jets are second in the Western Conference, two points behind Nashville. Kane brought a smaller haul of assets to the Buffalo Sabres, who received a conditional 2019 first-round pick, 2020 fourth rounder and prospect Dan O’Reagan from the San Jose Sharks. Vanek, traded for the second straight year and third time overall on deadline day, went from the Vancouver Canucks to Columbus for veteran Jussi Jokinen and 22-year-old centre Tyler Motte. It’s Jokinen’s fourth team this season after starting in Edmonton then spending time in Los Angeles and with the Blue Jackets. That’s a lot of travel for a 34-year-old who has one goal and five assists in 46 games. The Jets were delighted to land Stastny, a strong playmaker even if his offensive stats have dipped in recent years. The son of former Quebec Nordiques star Peter Stastny has 12 goals and 40 points in 63 games this season. He has 216 goals and 633 points in 805 career games with Colorado and the Blues, including 79 points in 2009-10. The Predators got right-winger Ryan Hartman from the Chicago Blackhawks for a similar price — first- and fourth-round picks plus prospect Victor Ejdsell. The difference is 23-year-old Hartman, who has eight goals and 25 points in 57 games this season, can only be a restricted free agent this summer. Winnipeg also added depth on defence with Joe Morrow, acquired from Montreal for a fourth-round pick. The Habs, who dealt forward Tomas Plekanec to Toronto on Sunday for a second-round pick and two prospects, replaced Morrow by landing Mike Reilly, 24, from Minnesota for a fifth-round pick. It was thought Kane, who can become a UFA this summer, would garner more on the market. He has 20 goals and 40 points in 61 games — his third straight 20-goal campaign. Vancouver also obtained forward Brendan Leipsic from the Vegas Golden Knights for defenceman Philip Holm. Leipsic, 23, had two goals and 11 assists in 44 games with the Golden Knights, who claimed him in the expansion draft from Toronto last summer. Columbus landed defenceman Ian Cole from Ottawa, for right-wing prospect Nick Moutrey and a 2020 third-round draft pick. Moutrey, a Toronto native drafted by Columbus in the fourth round in 2013, has three goals and three assists in 22 games for AHL Cleveland. The Senators also sent 28-year-old centre Nick Shore, obtained from Los Angeles in the recent Dion Phaneuf trade, to the Calgary Flames for a seventh-round pick. But Ottawa lost defenceman Johnny Oduya on waivers to Philadelphia, which had defenceman Mark Alt claimed by Colorado. Big right-winger Chris Stewart was claimed by the Flames from Minnesota. The Blue Jackets had acquired 33-year-old pending free agent Mark Letestu from Edmonton — via another deal with Nashville — on Sunday. The Oilers had dealt Letestu to the Predators for speedy winger Pontus Aberg, then shipped him to Columbus for a fourth-round pick. The Oilers sent soon-to-be-UFA forward Patrick Maroon to New Jersey for prospect J.D. Dudek and a third-round pick. Detroit sent forward Tomas Tatar to New Jersey for a 2018 first-round pick, 2019 second-round selection and 2021 third-round pick.