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Maple Leafs trade Phil Kessel to Penguins in 6-player deal

John E. Sokolowski / USA TODAY Sports

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Phil Kessel, Pittsburgh Penguin.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded the stigmatized sniper to the Pittsburgh Penguins for former first-round selection Kasperi Kapanen, defenseman Scott Harrington, forward Nick Spaling, and a 2016 third-round pick.

Toronto will receive a first-round pick and part with a second-round selection should the Penguins qualify for the postseason in either of the next two years. If Pittsburgh misses in both, the Maple Leafs settle for a second-round pick in 2017.

Related: Shanahan calls Kessel trade 'a message to our group'

Tyler Biggs and Tim Erixon will also land in Pittsburgh as part of the deal, while Toronto will retain 15 percent ($1.25 million) of Kessel's $8-million average annual salary for the next seven seasons.

Kessel, entering the second season of his lucrative deal, failed to reach the 30-goal plateau for the first time in six full seasons last year, laboring through his worst campaign in Toronto.

Kapanen was selected with the 22nd overall pick of the 2014 draft. He scored 21 points in 41 games for KalPa - a pro side in the Finnish top division.

Harrington, taken 54th overall in 2011, is entering the final season of his entry-level agreement. He has 10 games of NHL experience.

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