The New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators have been among the quietest clubs when it comes to acquiring new talent this offseason. That changed rather dramatically Monday when the two clubs struck a deal with each other involving impact players from both sides.

The Rangers sent center Derick Brassard and a 2018 seventh-round draft pick to Ottawa for center Mika Zibanejad and a 2018 second-round draft pick.

Brassard has three years remaining on his current contract, which comes with a $5 million cap hit.He is also coming off of a huge season, during which he was the second leading scorer on the team. Brassard scored a career-high 27 goals last season and nearly matched his career-best point total with 58 in 80 games for New York.

Zibanejad, meanwhile, has one year remaining on his current contract, which comes with a $2.625 million cap hit. That gives the Rangers a little more wiggle room underneath the cap as they have two big restricted free agents left to sign to new extensions.

A former first-round pick, the Sweden native had a breakout season last year. In his fourth full-time NHL campaign, Zibanejad had 21 goals and 51 points in 81 games and has really been trending up over the last three years. At just 23 years old, he would appear to be just entering his prime scoring seasons and will still be a restricted free agent after the 2016-17 season. He’s cheaper than Brassard now, but that could change pretty quickly if he stays on this development arc.

This is an interesting move for both clubs. The Sens had more than enough cap space to add Brassard, who is from nearby Hull, Quebec, which means he will be closer to family and friends. He also has a bit more two-way value than Zibanejad and has much more playoff experience.

Additionally, according to TVA’s Renaud Lavoie, this deal has been in the works for weeks, but was not made until after the Rangers paid out a $2 million signing bonus to Brassard on July 15. It doesn’t cost them a ton of actual dollars, even though he’s taking up $5 million in cap space. The Sens are always looking for a good bargain.

Meanwhile, the Rangers are parting with Brassard while he appears to be in the midst of his personal peak. One of the key components of the return for Marian Gaborik in the team’s 2013 trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Brassard’s game took off in New York. He put up 174 points in 254 games with the Rangers after having 169 points in 309 games with Columbus in the six seasons prior.

That said, Zibanejad is a really intriguing addition to the Rangers. They’re getting a player that has progressed in each season and really seemed to blossom as an offensive talent last season. He may be able to slot right into Brassard’s spot immediately and help add some more skill. In 281 career NHL games, Zibanejad has 151 points, 97 of which have come over the last two years.

It is for these reasons, among others, that it’s kind of surprising the Sens moved Zibanejad. Perhaps anticipating that he’d need a more expensive long-term extension soon, they decided to cut bait. It had to be a hard move, considering this is a guy who came up through their system, developed a lot at the NHL level and was just beginning to realize his full potential. Brassard is a fine player, but the five-year difference in age is a pretty substantial one in terms of maximizing value.

Assuming Zibanejad continues on his development arc, the Rangers have a really good shot at getting the better of the deal in the long term, as hard as it is to lose a player of Brassard’s caliber. Getting that second-round draft pick helps, too. This team has been handing out high draft picks in trades like they’re candy, and it’s really hurt their prospect system.

Meanwhile, the most pressing needs for the Rangers still go untouched. This is a club that needs help on the back end in a bad way and have done next to nothing to address it. Clearing about $2.3 million in cap space with this trade might help open things up for another deal.

New York has about $10.65 million in cap space with restricted free agents Chris Kreider and Kevin Hayes still needing extensions. Kreider has an arbitration hearing set for Friday, while Hayes is scheduled for July 27. There should be significant movement on both fronts soon.

After this move, it will be interesting to see where the Rangers go next this summer, beyond the extensions for Kreider and Hayes. It’d be hard to believe they’re done making moves with a laundry list of improvements that need to be made. Perhaps this trade gets things moving.