The Islanders traded the high-scoring left wing Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens just over four months after acquiring him from the Buffalo Sabres.
Vanek, who can become an unrestricted free agent in July, was expected to go after he reportedly turned down a seven-year, $50 million offer to stay with the Islanders.
In return, the Islanders received a conditional second-round pick in this June's draft and the prospect Sebastian Collberg, a 20-year-old right wing playing in the Swedish Hockey League. The Islanders also sent Montreal a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2014 draft. If the Canadiens, who are third in the Eastern Conference, miss the playoffs this season, neither of the picks will be exchanged.
"It was a good day under trying circumstances with where our team is in the standings," Islanders General Manager Garth Snow said.
Vanek, 30, had 17 goals and 27 assists in 47 games for the Islanders. They shipped the popular forward Matt Moulson, along with a conditional 2014 first-round pick and a second-round 2015 selection, to the Sabres to acquire Vanek on Oct. 27.
Moulson, who can also be a free agent at the end of this season, was on the move Wednesday, too, as the Sabres traded him and forward Cody McCormick to the Minnesota Wild.
But Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur, who has spent all of his 21 N.H.L. seasons in New Jersey, stayed put after being the subject of trade rumors this week. The Devils did add forward Tuomo Ruutu from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forward Andrei Loktionov and a conditional third-round draft pick in 2017. "Ruutu brings a grit, a competitiveness and an experience of playing in big games, knowing how to compete," Devils General Manager Lou Lamoriello said.
Lamoriello expressed frustration with the rumors about Brodeur.
"I'd love to hear someone put a name to what they hear," he said. "It's just absurd to me to hear some of these things that there's not even an iota of an indication that it's going on."
Lamoriello added that Brodeur, who has mostly served in a backup role recently, still knew how to win.
"I don't think there's anyone who has meant what Marty Brodeur has, and still means, to the Devils both professional and personally, as far as what he's achieved," Lamoriello said.
Another high-profile trade target, Vancouver Canucks forward Ryan Kesler, did not go anywhere, either. The Pittsburgh Penguins, who lead the Eastern Conference, were considered the leading contender for Kesler, but they turned elsewhere, acquiring the veteran forwards Marcel Goc from Florida and Lee Stempniak from Calgary.
Other Eastern leaders made moves. The Detroit Red Wings, trying to make the playoffs for the 23rd straight season, acquired forward David Legwand from Nashville. Legwand, a 33-year-old native of Detroit, played 956 games with the Predators since they selected him second over all in 1998. The Boston Bruins added defenseman Andrej Meszaros from the Philadelphia Flyers, and Ottawa acquired forward Ales Hemsky from Edmonton.
In the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Kings received the former Ranger forward Marian Gaborik from Columbus.
Since last Friday, 11 goalies changed teams. Jaroslav Halak, who was acquired by the Sabres in the deal that sent Miller to St. Louis, was traded again, this time to the Washington Capitals, for goalie Michal Neuvirth.
A day after reacquiring Roberto Luongo from Vancouver, the Florida Panthers swapped goaltenders with the Dallas Stars, sending the veteran Tim Thomas to Dallas for Dan Ellis.
STAMKOS TO RETURN The Tampa Bay star Steven Stamkos, sidelined since November by a broken right shin, was cleared to play. The Lightning said Stamkos would return Thursday night against Buffalo.
(AP) 
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