The Tampa Bay Lightning, Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings got a jump on next week's trade deadline with a three-way deal that has Steve Downie moving from Florida to Denver, the three teams said on Tuesday.
In return for Downie, the Avalanche sent Kyle Quincey to the Lightning. Tampa Bay then immediately swapped the defenseman for Detroit's first-round pick in this year's National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft and minor-leaguer Sebastien Piche.
The trade represents a homecoming of sorts for Quincey, who was taken in the fourth round of the 2003 NHL Draft by the Red Wings before being claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Kings in 2008.
Quincey had five goals and 18 assists for the Avalanche this season while Downie, a rugged forward, had 12 goals and 16 assists for the Lightning.
The NHL trade deadline is 3 p.m. ET (2000 GMT) on February 27.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by Frank Pingue)
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