In this Feb. 21, 2015, file photo, Toronto Maple Leafs' Phil Kessel (2nd L) skates past Winnipeg Jets' Toby Enstrom (2nd R) and Maple Leafs' teammates Tyler Bozak (L) and Morgan Rielly during overtime NHL action in Toronto. The Maple Leafs sent 27-year-old Kessel to the Pittsburgh Penguins Wednesday. — AP NEW YORK — The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired high-scoring forward Phil Kessel from the Toronto Maple Leafs in a deal involving six players and three draft picks Wednesday.
Kessel, along with forward Tyler Biggs, defenseman Tim Erixon and a 2016 second-round draft pick, went to Pittsburgh for defenseman Scott Harrington, forwards Kasperi Kapanen and Nick Spaling and first and third-round draft picks in 2016.
Toronto will also cover $1.25 million per year of Kessel's salary.
The move came on the first day of NHL free agent signing.
Kessel, who had 25 goals in 82 games last season and has scored more than 20 goals in seven straight seasons, is signed for seven seasons with an $8 million salary-cap charge, according to war-on-ice.com.
The five-time 30-goal scorer gives the Penguins a top wing to play with either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin.
Erixon played in 42 games for the Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks, and has two goals and 14 points in four seasons.
Biggs, the 22nd pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, had seven goals last season with the Maple Leafs' America Hockey League affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. The deal brought an infusion of youth to the rebuilding Leafs.
Kapanen, 18, was the Penguins' first-round pick (No. 22) in the 2014 NHL Draft. Harrington, 22, was Pittsburgh's second-round pick (No. 54) in 2011. Kapanen had five points in seven games in the Calder Cup playoffs with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season.
Spaling, 26, played in 82 games for the Penguins last season with nine goals and 27 points.
The Montreal Canadiens acquired forward Zack Kassian from the Vancouver Canucks for forward Brandon Prust and a fifth-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Kassian, 24, had 10 goals and 16 points in 42 games for the Canucks last season. In 2013-14 he set career-highs with 14 goals and 29 points in 73 games.
The 13th pick of the 2009 draft by the Buffalo Sabres, Kassian has 35 goals and 66 points in 198 games with the Sabres and Canucks.
Prust, 31, had four goals and 18 points in 82 games last season.
The Detroit Red Wings signed former Washington defenseman Mike Green to a three-year, $18 million contract, and also signed former Chicago center Brad Richards for one year.
San Jose added defenseman Paul Martin, formerly with Pittsburgh, to a four-year contract with a reported average annual value of $4.85 million and signed Martin Jones to be their No. 1 goalie.
In 11 seasons with the New Jersey Devils and Penguins, Martin collected 43 goals and 272 points.
Artem Anisimov and the Blackhawks agreed to a $22.75 million, five-year contract extension Wednesday, one day after the Stanley Cup champions acquired the center in a seven-player deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets. — Agencies
