Sam Gagner was traded twice in less than two hours Sunday night.
The 24-year-old center initially was dealt from the Edmonton Oilers to the Tampa Bay Lightning, who then sent him to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a draft pick and forward B.J. Crombeen.
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The Coyotes bought out veteran forward Mike Ribeiro last week, so they were certainly in the market for a top-six centerman. The Lightning roster already features Steven Stamkos, Valtteri Filppula, Brett Connolly and Tyler Johnson at center, so they had plenty of depth down the middle to use in a trade for additional assets.
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Gagner tallied 37 points (10 goals, 27 assists) in 67 games last season. His playmaking skills and speed immediately will upgrade an Arizona team that finished 20th in goals scored and missed the playoffs last season.
