The St. Louis Blues acquired defenseman Zbynek Michalek from the Arizona Coyotes on Monday for center Maxim Letunov and a conditional third-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. Michalek is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

The Coyotes will retain 50 percent of Michalek's salary, according to ESPN.com.

Michalek has not played since Feb. 14 because of an upper-body injury believed to be related to a concussion. He told Sportsnet that he's feeling better and has been doing exercise for three days, but he isn't skating yet and doesn't know when he'll be ready to play for the Blues.

"I don't want to say something or promise something and not be able to play, so it's hard to say," Michalek said. "I'm hopeful that I'll be to play soon."

The Montreal Canadiens acquired defenseman Jeff Petry and forward Brian Flynn on Monday in separate trades.

Petry was traded by the Edmonton Oilers for a second-round and a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.

Flynn was traded by the Buffalo Sabres for a fifth-round pick in 2016.

The New York Rangers were close enough to a Stanley Cup championship last season to experience what it feels like to be at the pinnacle of the hockey world in mid-June.

It is a heady experience, no doubt; a validation of all the hard work a franchise puts into building a roster that can win in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and instituting a system that allows that roster to function to the best of its ability.

Once experienced, the siren call to return for another round of June hockey is nearly impossible to ignore.

New York Rangers general manager Glen Sather couldn't.

Sunday afternoon, he pushed his trade chips all-in, sending a second-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft; a first-round pick in the 2016 draft; a top prospect, forward Anthony Duclair; and depth defenseman John Moore to the Arizona Coyotes for Keith Yandle, an offense-first defenseman who excels in power-play situations, and a mid-round pick.

The Detroit Red Wings acquired forward Erik Cole and a conditional third-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft from the Dallas Stars on Sunday for defenseman Mattias Backman, center Mattias Janmark and a second-round pick in this year's draft.

Cole, 36, has 18 goals and 15 assists in 57 games this season. He has 526 points (262 goals, 264 assists) in 881 games with the Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens and Stars. Cole has six goals and eight assists in 46 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

"Erik's been a big part of our team," Stars general manager Jim Nill said. "I've been watching Erik play now for the last probably 12, 13 years and this might have been one of his best years he's had. He's been a big part of our team. Unfortunately, there's a part to it of where our team's at and where we're building you have to make those decisions and we just want to thank Erik. We think we got some good young prospects out of it, some draft picks and we'll go from there."

The New York Rangers weren't done after they acquired defenseman Keith Yandle from the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday.

Rangers general manager Glen Sather later made two more trades, acquiring forward Carl Klingberg from the Winnipeg Jets for forward Lee Stempniak, and center James Sheppard from the San Jose Sharks for a fourth-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.

Klingberg, 24, had been reassigned to St. John's of the American Hockey League earlier Sunday. He did not have a point in two games for Winnipeg this season and had 15 goals and 15 assists in 51 AHL games. He was selected by the Atlanta Thrashers in the second round (No. 34) of the 2009 NHL Draft.

The New York Rangers acquired defensemen Keith Yandle and Chris Summers and a fourth-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft from the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday for defenseman John Moore, forward prospect Anthony Duclair, a second-round pick, and a conditional first-round pick.

The Rangers, who advanced to the Stanley Cup Final against the Los Angeles Kings before losing in five games, are again among the top teams in the Eastern Conference this season. They are second in the Metropolitan Division, two points behind the New York Islanders. The Rangers are five points behind the Montreal Canadiens for the top spot in the East and hold a game in hand.

Rangers general manager Glen Sather addressed their blue-line depth with this trade. Yandle, who has one year remaining on his contract, is considered to be among the game's better offensive defenseman.

Yandle also is not a rental player, which is the commodity most often moved before the NHL Trade Deadline, which is Monday.

WASHINGTON – In need of an experienced forward with top-six ability, the Washington Capitals acquired Curtis Glencross from the Calgary Flames on Sunday for two picks in the 2015 NHL Draft.

Capitals coach Barry Trotz welcomed the addition of Glencross.

"I think we need to get a little bit deeper at the forward position," he said. "We have a good forward group. We’ve got four young players there, and I don’t think you can ever be deep enough at any position as you’re going into the playoffs. After (the NHL Trade Deadline) tomorrow, you really don’t have any opportunity to add, so I think that’s why most teams want to do that.

CHICAGO -- The message Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman sent with two trades this weekend was clear: He expects to win the Stanley Cup despite losing right wing Patrick Kane for an estimated 12 weeks with a fractured left clavicle.

Bowman traded for defenseman Kimmo Timonen on Friday, then acquired center Antoine Vermette on Saturday. That he got the skilled veterans without trading any players off the Blackhawks roster said it all.

"[It] means a lot," left wing Patrick Sharp said after practicing with Timonen on Sunday. "Both guys are well-respected players across the League. Tip the cap to Stan and the management for improving our team. We're excited to play [Monday]."

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Arizona Coyotes general manager Don Maloney accomplished two major goals Saturday, earning a good return for coveted center Antoine Vermette, and saving enough time before the 2015 NHL Trade Deadline on Monday to further reshape a rebuilding franchise.

Vermette was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks late Saturday for a first-round pick and defenseman Klas Dahlbeck, who was playing in the American Hockey League.

“Antoine was one of our biggest chips and we needed to get a good return,” Maloney said. “We like the deal and it helps us line up some other opportunities. Now we have two days to say, ‘OK, let’s look at these other deals and see what we can get done.

“We have lots of irons in the fire.”

It's nearly over for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

They play one more game, Sunday at the Washington Capitals (7 p.m. ET; City, TVA Sports), and then wait to see what general manager Dave Nonis does before the NHL Trade Deadline at 3 p.m. ET on Monday.

After that, the endless questions and speculation will come to a temporary end and the Maple Leafs can focus on finishing this difficult season, one that is all but guaranteed to end without a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the ninth time in 10 seasons.