Rangers, Panthers, Avalanche, Golden Knights and Oilers make pre-NHL trade deadline day moves

Stanley Cup contenders did not wait until just before the NHL trade deadline Friday to make some big moves.

The league-leading Florida Panthers acquired a top scorer, the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights landed another big fish, the Edmonton Oilers got deeper down the middle, the New York Rangers picked up a player they coveted and the Colorado Avalanche made separate trades to fill important needs. With still two days of action to come, hockey's best teams loaded up to position themselves for what they hope is a long playoff run.

Florida got winger Vladimir Tarasenko from Ottawa, Vegas added defenseman Noah Hanifin from Calgary, the Oilers got centers Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick, and New York acquired Alexander Wenneberg from Seattle. And Colorado made trades for center Casey Mittelstadt and defenseman Sean Walker in a bevy of moves over a 12-hour period Wednesday.

In the final trade of the night, the Golden Knights sent 26-year-old defenseman Daniil Miromanov, a first-round pick and a conditional third to Calgary for Hanifin, who they could soon extend long term. The Flyers retained a quarter of Hanifin's salary and got a 2024 fifth as part of the deal, the Flames kept half to make it happen and the third going to Calgary becomes a second if Vegas wins a round.