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Lightning acquire Garrison from Canucks for 50th pick

Buffalo Sabres v Vancouver Canucks

Jason Garrison

Getty Images

The Tampa Bay Lightning have bolstered their blueline by acquiring Jason Garrison from the Vancouver Canucks. They also received 23-year-old forward Jeff Costello and a seventh round pick in exchange for the 50th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

Garrison, 29, is a capable top-four defenseman who has recorded 33 points in each of the last two 82-game campaigns. The Canucks had some flexibility to move him though after acquiring defenseman Luca Sbisa from the Anaheim Ducks in the Ryan Kesler trade they made earlier this afternoon.

Tampa Bay is inheriting the final four seasons of his six-year, $27.6 million contract.

Between their two trades, the Canucks have lessened their cap burden by roughly $5.5 million even after Sbisa and forward Nick Bonino’s contracts are factored in. That leaves Vancouver with approximately $51.4 million committed to 17 players, per Cap Geek.

Costello spent the last four seasons playing for Notre Dame. Originally taken in the fifth round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, he had 22 points and 73 penalty minutes in 40 games in 2013-14.

Update: NBC’s Pierre McGuire thinks Vancouver will use their cap flexibility to go after Buffalo Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers, per TEAM Radio’s Mike Martignago. Keep in mind that Myers has also been linked to the Detroit Red Wings.

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