MARK GIORDANO

The Lightning acquired forward Nick Paul from the Ottawa Senators on Sunday night for Mathieu Joseph and a 2024 fourth-round pick. Earlier Sunday, the Toronto Maple Leafs shored up their defense by dealing for Seattle captain Mark Giordano. His 24th could be part of one of the most scrutinized series in recent history with the pressure again on the Maple Leafs to advance. Before getting Giordano, the Maple Leafs’ focus was on their goaltending, which has become a major problem and looks like their biggest impediment to an extended playoff run. Toronto signed Olympic gold medal-winning Finnish goaltender Harri Sateri and put struggling veteran Petr Mrazek on waivers.

Lightning Kraken Hockey Seattle Kraken defenseman Mark Giordano holds his stick during warmups before an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) (Ted S. Warren)Mark Giordano is heading home after the Seattle Kraken sent their captain to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who made their big move Sunday on the eve of the NHL trade deadline to shore up their defense. Giordano joins his hometown team looking to help the franchise win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1967. Toronto sent second-round picks in 2022 and 2023 and a third-rounder in 2024 to Seattle for Giordano and forward Colin Blackwell. The expansion Kraken retained half of Giordano’s salary to make the cap math work for the Leafs.

Lightning Kraken Hockey Seattle Kraken defenseman Mark Giordano holds his stick during warmups before an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) (Ted S. Warren)The Toronto Maple Leafs have agreed to acquire veteran defenseman Mark Giordano from the Seattle Kraken, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. It was not immediately clear the full price Toronto paid for Giordano, though the Leafs acquired a third-round pick from Vancouver for defenseman Travis Dermott. While he recently played his 1,000th NHL game, Giordano has dressed in only 23 playoff games in 16 NHL seasons. Toronto signed Olympic gold medal-winning Finnish goaltender Harri Sateri and put struggling veteran Petr Mrazek on waivers.

Lightning Kraken Hockey Seattle Kraken defenseman Mark Giordano holds his stick during warmups before an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in Seattle. Giordano was honored before the game for his 1000th career NHL game, which took place March 5, 2022 on the road against the Washington Capitals. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) (Ted S. Warren)Mark Giordano played his 1,000th regular-season NHL game in a Seattle Kraken uniform and skated in four more before the team sat him to avoid the risk of injury. After the recent trades of Claude Giroux to Florida, Brandon Hagel to Tampa Bay and Hampus Lindholm to Boston, Giordano and reigning Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury are the most prominent players still available before the deadline. Despite playing 16 NHL seasons — the first 15 with the Calgary Flames — he has dressed in only 23 playoff games.

The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning made another trade on the eve of the deadline aimed at becoming the NHL’s first team to win three in a row since the 1980s.

Waddell's Carolina Hurricanes are among the many contenders with limited salary cap space that could wait until much closer to the trade deadline Monday to stockpile before the stretch run to the playoffs. “Between the cap, between the cost — all those things, the standings — it adds up,” Edmonton general manager Ken Holland said. “For the most part, it usually happens the last day or two by the deadline. That's great for drama at the end of April but not so good for the prospect of intense trade chatter. Things will boil down to Monday.”___Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno___More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

The combination of jumbled standings in the Western Conference and a flat salary cap has stalled much of the trade market around the NHL.

Kraken Hit the Ice Hockey Seattle Kraken players Mason Appleton (22) and Ryker Evans fight for the puck during NHL hockey training camp at Kraken Community Iceplex on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Seattle. Give an assist to his wife for making sure Seattle Kraken blue has been the dominant color for him ever since Giordano was selected by the NHL's newest franchise in the league's expansion draft over the summer. Giordano and the rest of the Kraken's roster hit the ice for the first time as a team with the start of training camp Thursday. While Seattle’s roster is a mix of veterans and some young talent looking for an opportunity, no one on the roster comes close to Giordano's years on the ice. After 15 years in Calgary — the past eight as the Flames' captain — coming to Seattle is a fresh opportunity for the nearly 38-year-old veteran.

Vegas announced 10 trades during its expansion draft; Seattle, zero. Seattle took Tampa Bay forward Yanni Gourde but he will miss at least the first month of the season following shoulder surgery. “I have a tremendous amount of faith in Ron Francis’ ability to build a team," Driedger said. “He knows what he’s doing.”Boston defenseman Jeremy Lauzon will go down in the record books as Seattle's first expansion draft selection. “It’s a new team team and it offers a lot of opportunities for guys and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”___AP Hockey Writers Stephen Whyno and John Wawrow contributed to this report.

Kraken Expansion Draft Hockey Chris Dreidger, center, a goalie from the Florida Panthers, stands with ESPN NHL hockey draft host Chris Fowler, left, and Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis as he is introduced Wednesday, July 21, 2021, as a new player for the Kraken during the team's expansion draft event in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) (Ted S. Warren)SEATTLE — (AP) — The Kraken expansion draft lacked drama after all 30 picks leaked out hours before they were revealed, but it had plenty of Seattle to introduce the NHL's 32nd franchise. “Any time you see a name like Carey Price available, you have to consider it,” Kraken general manager Ron Francis said. Boston defenseman Jeremy Lauzon will go down in the record books as Seattle's first expansion draft selection. “It’s a new team team and it offers a lot of opportunities for guys and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”___AP Hockey Writers Stephen Whyno and John Wawrow contributed to this report.

The Seattle Kraken have set their initial roster.

Goaltender Carey Price has been exposed to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft after backstopping the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final.