In return, Los Angeles is believed to be sending Russian prospect Valentin Zykov and a conditional fifth-round pick, according to Kings insider Jon Rosen.
Versteeg was held out of the Hurricanes' lineup for Sunday's 5-2 loss against the St. Louis Blues. The 32-year-old is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks, winning with them in 2010 and 2015.
He has 11 goals and 22 assists in 63 games this season.
Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos extended his league-best goal-scoring streak to six games on a penalty shot Sunday, fooling Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask with a move before sneaking the puck around his left pad for his 28th goal of the season, and giving his team a 4-1 second-period lead.
Stamkos can tie his career best for consecutive games with a goal (7) if he scores tomorrow night in Toronto.#TBLightning#TBLvsBOS
The 26-year-old was awarded the penalty shot after being hit from behind by Brad Marchand while breaking towards the net. It was Stamkos' third penalty shot of the season. He failed to score on his two earlier attempts.
It appeared Stamkos may have scored just two minutes before with a howitzer from the point, but the shot was tipped by Ryan Callahan for his second goal of the game.
The veteran defenseman lost his balance with nobody near him as he received a pass at the point. His slip opened the door for a two-on-zero between Ryan Callahan and Alex Killorn, which they executed to perfection for Callahan's ninth goal of the season.
While McQuaid reminded all hockey fans that ice is, indeed, slippery, one Twitter user discovered another possible cause for the blown tire.
After months of trade speculation, the New York Rangers won the Eric Staal sweepstakes Sunday, acquiring the star forward from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for two second-round picks and prospect Aleksi Saarela.
As the 31-year-old leaves brother Jordan in Raleigh to join brother Marc on Broadway, here are three reasons that Eric makes sense for the Blueshirts:
Offensive depth
With the addition of the eldest Staal, the Rangers' top-nine forwards look a whole lot scarier to any potential playoff opponents. Head coach Alain Vigneault will have a lot of options to consider once Rick Nash returns from injury, given Staal's ability to play center or wing.
Although he's on pace for his lowest-scoring season since his rookie year, if the trade "rejuvenates" Staal the way general manager Jeff Gorton hopes, it could spell danger for the rest of the Eastern Conference.
Potential lines
LW
C
RW
Staal
Stepan
Nash
Miller
Brassard
Zuccarello
Hayes
Lindberg
Kreider
Fast
Moore
Stalberg
A Staal-Stepan-Nash line would be a potential terror for opposing defenses and could also allow Chris Kreider to thrive in a third-line role while keeping the current Miller-Brassard-Zuccarello unit intact.
The final quarter of the regular season should see the Rangers use a number of different line configurations, which will give Vigneault more than enough time to sort out his deep, balanced attack.
Flexibility
As mentioned, Staal's ability to play the wing can allow the Rangers to keep Stepan and Brassard, both locked up through 2019, in their current top-six roles at center.
But another asset Staal brings to New York is a 53.7 faceoff percentage, which trails only Dominic Moore on the roster this season.
Player
FO%
Moore
55.8
Staal
53.7
Brassard
51.1
Lindberg
49.3
Stepan
46.6
Miller
41.5
Hayes
35.3
While he may spend the majority of his time on the wing, bringing in a man who has won the majority of his draws for five consecutive seasons is an important add for the Rangers: They rank 24th in the league at the faceoff dot, and dead last among teams in playoff position.
If Stepan's struggles in the circle continue, Staal could make a massive difference in late-game situations.
Win-now mode
As general manager Jeff Gorton alluded to Sunday, this trade is about today and not the future.
While it's uncertain whether their newest forward will stay at Madison Square Garden after this season, the Rangers already have four key forwards, three defensemen, and star goaltender Henrik Lundqvist locked up through at least 2018.
But after giving up a pair of first-rounders in 2014 for Martin St. Louis, the Rangers are without a selection in the opening round of the draft for the fourth consecutive year this June, casting doubt on how long their championship window can remain open.
Without a bevy of prospects to look forward to in the near future, the Rangers must remain competitive while Lundqvist continues to play a high level. Adding a productive veteran with a Cup ring to the dressing room has put them in a great position to make their second finals run in three years.
After seven years of toiling in the AHL, Parenteau's first two full NHL seasons were his most productive, playing alongside center John Tavares. He scored 53 points in 2010-11 and posted a career-best 67 points in 2011-12, then signed as a free agent with the Colorado Avalanche the following offseason.
The winger has recorded 16 goals and 16 assists in 60 games with the Maple Leafs this season, and has already expressed his desire to re-sign in Toronto if he's moved prior to the deadline.
The largest question surrounding the Boston Bruins heading into the trade deadline has been whether they'll trade forward Loui Eriksson or sign him to an extension.
But now it appears they may go a different, and riskier, direction.
General manager Don Sweeney told reporters Sunday that the Bruins would have no issue with holding onto Eriksson through the trade deadline without having him signed to a contract extension, according to CSNNE's Joe Haggerty. Sweeney hopes he could hang on to the Swede for a playoff run.
Earlier in the day, it was reported that contract negotiations were in "slow motion," though the forward has brought his price down since his original ask.
The 30-year-old is expected to play Sunday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are tied with the Bruins for second in the Atlantic Division with one game in hand.
Eriksson has 48 points in 62 games this season, his most productive campaign since 2012.
Haula blocked a shot, flew by the defense, and went shelf past Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo for a third period go-ahead goal Sunday.
The 24-year-old has emerged as a key contributor during the stretch run for the Wild, recording 10 points in his last 11 games to surpass his total from the first 46 games of the season.
Strome gave the Erie Otters an early lead Sunday, making the Niagara Ice Dogs look absolutely ridiculous by dancing through four of them on a beautiful individual effort for the goal.
The 18-year-old has 32 goals and 60 assists in 47 games this season.
Staal leaves the club after 12 seasons and 909 regular-season games. He departs as the franchise's leader (based on its time in Carolina) in games played, goals (322), assists (453), points (775), hat tricks (13), power-play goals (105), shorthanded goals (16), and game-winning goals (47). He represented the Hurricanes in four All-Star Games and brought home a title in 2006.
Gorton's most important messages: The Rangers may not be done adding ahead of Monday's trade deadline, and defenseman Keith Yandle - and his expiring contract - will not be traded.
"We're looking at a player we think can be energized by this trade," Gorton said about Staal. "We see the numbers. We scouted him a lot. (I) think this really helps our top nine, center, wing, (and) power play. I think it's a pretty exciting time for our team. I think they'll be energized."
Eric Staal will be at Rangers morning skate tomorrow
Gorton wouldn't talk about Staal's future, and whether he may be a Ranger next season and beyond.
"He's a Ranger for today and we'll see what happens," he said. "We felt like he was one of the - if not the - best available players on the market. To have Marc (Staal) here had to have helped, (Eric) would've known what it's like to play in New York."
It's the second straight season the Rangers have made a splash around the trade deadline. Last year it was made by acquiring Yandle, and Gorton was explicit about the defender's future.
"We're not trading him."
Gorton added that the Rangers could still add to their roster - if necessary, and if the price is right.
"We have enough (cap) room to add a small salary player if we wanted to," he said.