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NHL Hockey Player News
The Jets have acquired Paul Stastny from the Golden Knights for a 2022 fourth-round pick and Carl Dahlstrom.

Instead of overpaying a centre for four or five years in free agency, the Jets go back to a player they're familiar with via trade. Stastny was acquired at the trade deadline in 2018 and he had 28 points (10G / 18A) in 36 games between the regular season and playoffs combined. At 34-years-old, Stastny isn't the player he once was but he is a good short-term solution as the Jets' second line centre.

Paul Stastny
The Devils have acquired Ryan Murray from the Blue Jackets for a 2021 fifth-round pick.

Murray has one-year left with a $4.6M cap-hit and is a cheap, low-risk addition for the Devils. The Blue Jackets were dumping salary left and right and the oft-injured Murray was a logical choice. The 27-year-old was the No.2 overall pick in 2012 but has not played more than 60 games in the last four years. He's averaged 46.8 games played with 1.5 goals and 13.8 assists (15.3 points) over that stretch.

Ryan Murray
The Senators have acquired Erik Gudbranson from the Ducks for 2021 fifth-round pick.

Gudbranson is entering the final-year of his deal that carries a $4.0M cap-hit. After nine years with the Panthers, Canucks, Penguins and Ducks, Gudbranson gets a chance to play in his hometown. Gudbranson has been much maligned in recent years but brings physicality to a Senators blueline that lost that edge when they let Mark Borowiecki walk in free agency.

Erik Gudbranson
The Blue Jackets have acquired Cliff Pu from the Panthers for Markus Nutivaara.

Pu was originally drafted in the third-round back in 2016 and has been traded three times since. Pu split his 2020 season between the AHL and ECHL, posting just two assists in 10 AHL games. Once again, this is more of a cap-dump for the Blue Jackets, who appear to be clearing space to re-sign Pierre-Luc Dubois and make a splash in free agency on Friday.

Cliff Pu
The Panthers have acquired Markus Nutivaara from the Blue Jackets for Cliff Pu.

Nutivaara has two years left at $2.7M AAV and should immediately slide into the Panthers' top-4. Nutivaara will likely replace Josh Brown, who was traded to Ottawa Keith Yandle's partner. He was in-and-out of the lineup in 2020, playing just 37games. Over the last three seasons, he's averaged seven goals and 18 assists (25 points) per 82 games, so there is some offence there.

Markus Nutivaara
The Kings have acquired Lias Andersson from the Rangers for a 2020 second-round pick (No.60 overall pick).

Andersson was the No.7 overall pick in 2017 but was a headache for the Rangers in 2020. Andersson struggled in a fourth line role, posting just one assist in 17 games before being sent to Hartford (AHL). He appeared in 13 AHL games before being suspended by the Rangers and ultimately loaned to HV71 in the SHL. He performed better in his home country, scoring seven goals with five assists (12 points) in 15 games. His dad is a scout for the Kings, so they are taking a low-risk chance on him bouncing back.

Lias Andersson
The Wild have acquired Nick Bonino, a 2020 second-round pick (No.37 overall) and a 2020 third-round pick (No.70 overall) from the Predators for Luke Kunin and a 2020 fourth-round pick (No.101 overall).

Bonino has one-year left at $4.1M AAV and address a major need at centre for the 2020-21 campaign. Bonino is a solid player but his his offensive output is capped. In three years with Nashville, Bonino averaged 18 goals and 18 assists (36 points) per 82 games. He'll likely centre the third line in Minnesota.

Nick Bonino
The Predators have acquired Luke Kunin and a 2020 fourth-round pick (No.101 overall) from the Wild for Nick Bonino, a 2020 second-round pick (No.37 overall) and a 2020 third-round pick (No.70 overall).

Kunin is a pending RFA, who is projected to sign a contract in the range of $3.25M AAV, which would be $850K savings from Nick Bonino's $4.1M AAV cap hit. Kunin is coming off of the best season of his young career, scoring 15 goals with 16 assists (31 points) in 63 games and has even more upside in Nashville, where he'll be surrounded by more top-end talent.

Luke Kunin
The Penguins have acquired Jonathan Gruden and a 2020 second-round pick (No.52 overall) from the Senators for Matt Murray.

Not to be mistaken with the Las Vegas Raiders head coach, Jonathan Gruden was selected in the fourth-round (No.95 overall) in 2018. The 6-foot, 180 lbs. centre moved from Miami (Ohio) University to the London Knights (OHL) for the 2020 season, where he was second on the team in goals (30) and fourth in points (66) in 59 games.

Jonathan Gruden
The Senators have acquired Matt Murray from the Penguins for Jonathan Gruden and a 2020 second-round pick (No.52 overall).

The Penguins made their decision in net when they locked up Tristan Jarry last week. With so many free agent goalies becoming available on Friday it was a priority to get this trade done before then to maximize Murray's value. He is coming off of a down year, having posted a 2.87 GAA and .899 SV% in 38 starts but Murray is a huge upgrade in net for the Senators, who have improved drastically over the last 24 hours.

Matt Murray
The Canadiens have acquired Josh Anderson from the Blue Jackets for Max Domi and a 2020 third-round pick (No.78 overall).

Anderson dealt with shoulder issues all throughout 2020, limiting him to just 26 games and four points (1G / 3A). In 2019, Anderson scored a career-high 27 goals with 20 assists (47 points) in 82 games. He was one of three players who had 20-plus goals and 200-plus hits in 2019--Alex Ovechkin and Blake Coleman were the other two, pretty good company. Anderson's rugged style of play is exactly what the Habs were in search of and he will pair nicely on the second line with Nick Suzuki.

Josh Anderson