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 The two forwards headlined a busy day that saw several big names
change teams, including Marian Gaborik going to the Los Angeles
Kings from the Columbus Blue Jackets and Matt Moulson going to the
Minnesota Wild from the last-place Buffalo Sabres.
St. Louis requested a trade from the Tampa Bay Lightning after he
was snubbed by general manager Steve Yzerman — also the general
manager for Team Canada — when the roster for the 2014 Olympic squad
was announced in January.
The NHL's reigning scoring champion was eventually added to the team
as an injury replacement and went on to collect a gold medal but
that did little to change his mind.
"He has been one of the greatest players in the organization's
history but in the end we honored his request today," Yzerman said
in a statement. "We wish him and his family the best of luck as he
continues his career in New York."
 The 38-year-old Lightning captain was traded to New York in exchange
for Rangers captain Ryan Callahan and two draft picks.
St. Louis, a six-time All-Star and former Hart Memorial Trophy
winner as most valuable player who won a Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay
in 2004, joins a Rangers team that is third in the Metropolitan
Division.
Callahan, 28, has 11 goals and 25 points in 45 games for the Rangers
this season and joins a Lightning team that is sitting in third
place in the Atlantic Division.
The Canadiens got a much-needed offensive boost by acquiring Vanek
from the New York Islanders for a second round draft pick and
forward prospect Sebastien Collberg.
Vanek, a two-time 40-goal scorer who represented Austria at the 2014
Sochi Games, has 17 goals and 27 assists in 47 games this season
between the Islanders and Sabres.
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After spending the season playing for two teams well outside the
playoff picture, the former first round draft pick joins a Montreal
team that is second in the Atlantic Division, eight points behind
the first place Boston Bruins.
Moulson is also headed to his third team this season after starting
with the Islanders before joining Buffalo last October. The
30-year-old forward has appeared in 55 games between the two teams
this season and has 17 goals and 21 assists.
Gaborik, a three-time All-Star who has scored at least 40 goals on
three occasions, was traded to the 2012 Stanley Cup champion Kings
for forward Matt Frattin and two draft picks.
Among the other deals, the Ottawa Senators acquired forward Ales
Hemsky from the Edmonton Oilers for a pair of draft picks and Los
Angeles acquired defenseman Brayden McNabb and two draft picks from
Buffalo for forward Hudson Fasching.
The Sabres also traded goalie Jaroslav Halak and a third-round draft
pick to the Washington Capitals in exchange for goaltender Michal
Neuvirth and defenseman Rostislav Klesla.
Wednesday marked the final day for the NHL's 30 teams to make tweaks
to their rosters ahead of the final stretch of the regular season.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; editing by Julian Linden)
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