Wednesday's roundup: Pittsburgh acquires Kessel

Pittsburgh — Phil Kessel spent six years in Toronto trying to lift the franchise out of mediocrity.

All the goals — 181 while wearing a leaf on the front of his sweater — failed to turn the franchise into a contender or quiet the critics who wondered whether the talented forward cared enough or worked hard enough to justify his status as one of the elite players in the NHL.

That won't be an issue in Pittsburgh, not after the Penguins acquired Kessel in a blockbuster trade on Wednesday they hope will rejuvenate Kessel's career while giving stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin a running mate that can come close to matching their pedigree and production.

"He was always the guy, he was a guy that was blamed when things weren't going well, and he doesn't have to be the guy here," Pittsburgh general manager Jim Rutherford said. "We have a bunch of them, and so I believe that he's going to fit in very well."

The Penguins sent forward prospect Kasperi Kapanen, forward Nick Spaling, defenseman Scott Harrington and a 2016 third-round pick to the Maple Leafs for Kessel, forward Tyler Briggs and defenseman Tim Erixon. Conditional draft picks are also involved.

The centerpiece, however, is Kessel, who has 247 goals and 273 assists in nine seasons between Boston and Toronto, including 25 goals and 36 assists for the Maple Leafs in 2014-15.

Dynamic and dependable — he hasn't missed a game in more than five seasons — Kessel will get a chance to play with two of the best in the game for the Penguins, who were in desperate need of a top six forward to ignite an offense that limped through an injury-filled season before going out in the first round of the playoffs.

Rutherford stressed it will be on coach Mike Johnston to figure out where Kessel lines up on a given night. He spent more than half a decade shouldering the burden in Toronto, which made the postseason just once with Kessel's No. 81 in the lineup.

Ready for a fresh start under former Red Wings coach Mike Babcock, the Maple Leafs will pay a portion of Kessel's $64 million deal that runs through 2021-22 for the chance to start over.

"I think it's a good fit for Phil," Toronto general manager and Detroit legend Brendan Shanahan said. "At the same time it stays on our message — with what we were doing here as a group wasn't working."

It hasn't been working in Pittsburgh in recent years either, at least not in the playoffs.

The Stanley Cup that Crosby and Malkin raised in 2009 after defeating the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena in Game 7 grows more distant by the day and with both stars starting to face the back end of their primes, the pressure was on for the Penguins to make a splash.

Considering the weakness of the free agent class, Rutherford instead honed in on Kessel.

The deal was in the works for the better part of a month and intensified during the NHL draft last weekend.

On the first day of free agency it came together, with the Penguins dealing the talented Kapanen but keeping prized young defensemen Olli Maatta and Derrick Pouliot in black-and-gold and adding a three-time All-Star.

"We got the best player in the trade right now," Rutherford said. "It usually works out for the team that gets the best player."

Sather steps down

Glen Sather didn't get a chance to raise the Stanley Cup as general manager of the Rangers, so he'll just have to settle for making them a lot better in his 15 seasons in charge.

Sather announced he was stepping down as the Rangers general manager and being replaced by longtime assistant Jeff Gorton.

The past four years have been the best part of the run, with the Rangers playing for the Stanley Cup in 2014 against the Kings.

Sather, 71, who will remain as the team's president, said he has been thinking about leaving the general manager post for two or three years after spending more than three decades as a player, coach and front office executive.

"Last year we had the run at the Stanley Cup and this year we thought we would have another shot at it," Sather said. "I think you would like to retire as a champ but it didn't happen."

Transactions

Anaheim: Acquired D Kevin Bieska from Canucks for a second-round pick, signed him to a two-year, $8 million extension

Arizona: Signed D Zybnek Michalek, two years; Fs Brad Richardson, three years, $6.25 million; and Steve Downie, one year; and G Anders Lindback, one year, $875,000

Buffalo: Signed C Jack Eichel

Calgary: Signed Fs Derek Grant, one year, $700,000; and Michael Frolik, five years, $21.5 million; re-signerd G Karri Ramo, one year, $3.8 million

Chicago: Signed C Artem Anisimov, five years, $22.75 million

Colorado: Signed D Francios Beauchemin, three years, $13.5 million; F Blake Comeau, three years, $7.2 million

Detroit: Signed D Mike Green, three years, $18 million; C Brad Richards, one year, $3 million

Edmonton: Signed C Mark Letestu, three years, $5.4 million; D Andrej Sekera, six years, $33 million

Florida: Signed D Cameron Gaunce, one year

Minnesota: Signed C Zac Dalpe, one year

Nashville: Re-signed C Mike Ribeiro, two years, $7 million. Signed C Cody Hogdson, one year, $1 million; D Barret Jackman, two years, $4 million. Acquired F Max Reinhart from Calgary for conditional fourth-round pick

New Jersey: Re-signed F Paul Thompson, two years, $1.15 million

N.Y. Islanders: Re-signed D Thomas Hickey, three years, $6.6 million

N.Y. Rangers: Signed D Brian Gibbons; F Viktor Stalberg, one year, $1.1 million

Ottawa: Signed D Mike Kostka, one year, $800,000; and Zach Stortini, two years, $1.2 million

Pittsburgh: Acquired Fs Phil Kessel and Tyler Biggs and D Tim Erixon from Toronto for Fs Kasperi Kapanen and Nick Spaling, D Scott Harrington and 2016 first- and third-round picks. Signed D Steve Olesky, one year; C Kevin Porter, one year, $575,000; F Kael Mouillierat, one year, $575,000

San Jose: Signed D Paul Martin, four years, $19.4 million .

Toronto: Signed C Mark Arcobello, one year, $1.1 million; Fs P.A. Parenteau, one year, $1.5 million; and Daniel Winnik, two years, $4.5 million

Vancouver: Signed D Taylor Fedun, one year. Traded F Zach Kassian and a fifth-round pick to Montreal for F Brandon Prust. Re-signed D Yannick Weber, one year, $1.5 million