Wild gets Moulson, McCormick from Sabres for Mitchell, picks

With season-long scuttlebutt that the Wild may look to sign free-agent-to-be Thomas Vanek this summer, the Wild beat Wednesday's trade deadline by acquiring the player traded for Vanek earlier this season.

The Wild traded two draft picks -- Winnipeg's second rounder in 2014 acquired in the Devin Setoguchi trade and the Wild's second rounder in 2016 -- and fourth-line winger Torrey Mitchell to the Sabres for power winger Matt Moulson, a three-time 30-goal scorer, and hard-nosed forward Cody McCormick.

Moulson, 30, has scored 17 goals and 38 points in 55 games this season between the Islanders and Sabres. He was acquired in October for Vanek, a conditional first-round pick and a second-round pick. He is the last year of his deal with a $3.133 million cap hit.

McCormick, 30, has scored 59 points and 503 penalty minutes in 358 games. He's in the last year of his deal at $1.2 million.

Moulson has scored 135 goals and 262 points in 377 games, developing terrific chemistry with superstar John Tavares on Long Island, where he was one of the most popular players.

He has perennially been one of the NHL's most durable players. He played all 82 games in three consecutive seasons from 2009-12, topping 30 goals in each, including a career-high 36 goals and 69 points in 2011-12.

Moulson has scored 47 career power-play goals, including 14 in 2011-12, the third-most in the NHL. He is also known as a player who thrives on the road. In 2011-12, Moulson scored 23 goals on the road, the second-most in the NHL behind Steven Stamkos.

From March 17-April 3, the Wild plays eight of 10 games on the road.

Moulson is a skilled power winger who protects the puck terrifically on the cycle and is known for possessing a hard wrist shot.

Mitchell, 29, scored five goals and 12 assists in 103 games, including only one goal in 58 games this year.

According to sources, Mitchell asked to be traded, although he denied that Tuesday.

Mitchell, a hard-working, fast forward, signed a three-year, $5.7 million deal with the Wild two summers ago. That happened on July 1. On July 4, the Wild signed Zach Parise. The Wild also didn't know for sure if Pierre-Marc Bouchard would be healthy to start that season. He wound up being ready.

So Mitchell came to Minnesota thinking he'd have a chance to be third-line right wing. After Parise and Bouchard were inserted, Mitchell fell down the depth chart. Since, the Wild has added youngsters like Mikael Granlund, Charlie Coyle and Nino Niederreiter. So Mitchell has been saddled on the fourth line pretty much since he got to Minnesota.

But I mentioned on the blog this exact scenario. My gut said the trade request would wind up burning Mitchell because at $1.9 million next year, he'd be such an easy throw-in for a rental to Buffalo if the Wild couldn't get Drew Stafford done. Now Mitchell misses the playoffs this year and the Wild gets out of his $1.9 million cap hit and $2.5 million salary next year.

The Wild was in on Stafford. I was told this afternoon, and I need to report it out more, that any Stafford deal would be contingent on another complicated trade the Wild would have to make elsewhere to basically move a player.

I'll be hosting a live online chat on startribune.com Thursday at 3 p.m. Bad news: Chat's been postponed. The Wild's now having an afternoon practice Thursday so the three new additions, Moulson, McCormick and Ilya Bryzgalov will be able to join.