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Canucks acquire defenceman Nate Schmidt from Vegas for 2022 third-round pick

Free agent forward Toffoli leaves Vancouver to join Habs
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Vegas Golden Knights’ goalie Robin Lehner (90) makes the save as Vancouver Canucks’ Elias Pettersson (40) jumps and Nate Schmidt (88) defends during first period NHL Western Conference Stanley Cup playoff action in Edmonton on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

The Vancouver Canucks have acquired defenceman Nate Schmidt from the Vegas Golden Knights for a third-round pick in the 2022 NHL draft.

The Canucks announced the deal on Monday night, shortly after the Golden Knights reportedly came to an agreement with free agent defenceman Alex Pietrangelo on a seven-year deal.

The 29-year-old Schmidt appeared in 59 games for Vegas in 2019-20 and recorded seven goals and 31 points.

Schmidt, from St. Cloud, Minn., has produced 29 goals and 140 points in 368 career regular-season games over seven NHL seasons split between Vegas and the Washington Capitals, who signed him as a free agent in 2013 following three seasons at the University of Minnesota.

He has five years remaining on a six-year, US$35.7 million contract that carries a $5.95 million annual salary cap hit.

“Nate has been one of the top defencemen in our division in recent years,” said Canucks general manager Jim Benning. “He’s a dynamic player who competes hard all over the ice. I think he will be a really good fit in our group.”

Pietrangelo reportedly agreed to terms with the Golden Knights on a $61.6 million, seven-year deal Monday, according to a person with direct knowledge of the contract. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced by the team.

The Pietrangelo addition meant changes were coming to Vegas’ roster for salary cap purposes.

Schmidt was among the trade candidates to clear cap space after Vegas already sent centre Paul Stastny to Winnipeg.

READ MORE: Vancouver Canucks sign veteran goaltender Braden Holtby to 2-year deal

• Earlier in the day, the Montreal Canadiens signed forward Tyler Toffoli to a four-year deal.

The deal carries an average annual value of US$4.25 million.

Toffoli played 10 regular-season games for the Canucks this season after being acquired in a February trade from the Los Angeles Kings.

The 28-year-old from Toronto had six goals and four assists with the Canucks after putting up 18 goals and 16 assists through 58 games with Los Angeles. He added two goals and two assists in seven games of Vancouver’s playoff run.

Toffoli has 139 goals and 151 assists in eight seasons in the NHL.

He was selected in the second round (47th overall) by the Kings in the 2010 draft.

THE CANADIAN PRESS, with files from AP

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