The Pittsburgh Penguins finally made the big move that everyone has been waiting for his offseason, acquiring winger Phil Kessel from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Kessel, 27, is signed for seven more seasons at an average annual value of $8 million. The Madison, Wisconsin native scored 25 goals and tallied 26 assists last season with the Leafs.
Over the last five seasons with Toronto, Kessel has played in every single game and scored at least 25 goals in every season except the lockout shortened 2013-14 campagin.
Going the other way will be a package including forward Kasperi Kapanen, who was the Penguins first-round pick in the 2014 NHL draft, defenseman Scott Harrington, and draft picks.
Edit 1:21 p.m.: The Penguins will also be including left wing Nick Spaling in the deal. Toronto is retaining $1.2 million of Kessel’s $8 million salary.
Edit: 1:48 p.m.: The Penguins have also acquired defenseman Tim Erixon and minor-league forward Tyler Biggs as part of the deal. The Penguins will be trading Toronto their 2016 1st and 3rd round picks, and getting back their 2016 2nd round pick, which had previously been traded to the Maple Leafs
Edit 2:45: The Penguins are trading the Leafs the 2016 third-round round pick that the New Jersey Devils gave them as compensation for signing John Hynes. The Leafs will not get the Penguins 2016 1st round pick if the Penguins miss the playoffs this year.
Stay with Pittsburgh Sporting News for more details on this developing story.
Meanwhile, six Penguins free agents found new NHL homes on Wednesday.
Photo credit: NHLI/Getty Images
