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Sabres send Miller, Ott to Blues for package including Halak, Stewart

Hockey fans didn’t need to wait until Wednesday for a huge trade. The St. Louis Blues acquired Ryan Miller and Steve Ott from the Buffalo Sabres in a deal that includes Jaroslav Halak, Chris Stewart, prospect William Carrier, a first-round draft pick in 2015 and a third-round draft pick in 2016.

Update: This post explains how that third-rounder could become a first-round pick.

The Blues announced that Ott and Miller will meet the team in Phoenix, so there’s at least a chance both could debut on Sunday.

Let’s take a glance at each piece of the deal.

Miller, 33: The centerpiece of this trade, Miller’s contract expires after this season. The 33-year-old has maintained strong individual numbers even as the Sabres have struggled to provide him with an adequate supporting cast many years. He won’t have that excuse in St. Louis.

Click here for Miller’s emotional reaction.

Halak, 28: Another goalie with an expiring contract, it remains to be seen if Buffalo sticks with him or tries to stockpile an even more impressive set of assets by moving him again. The Blues made headlines by pledging their support for him not so long ago.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie adds a minor detail:

Ott, 31: Another expiring contract in this deal, Ott is one of the NHL’s most agitating pests. His versatility might explain why he wore the captain’s “C” in Buffalo, however, as he can win faceoffs and chip in a little bit of offense here and there. In other words, the kind of player Ken Hitchcock loves.

Stewart, 26: Stewart has been a part of a blockbuster trade in the past, as the Colorado Avalanche sent him to St. Louis in a deal that also included Erik Johnson and Kevin Shattenkirk. Stewart is a streaky scorer who can be dangerous when he’s trending up; he has 15 goals and 26 points in 58 games after scoring 18 goals and 36 points in 48 games last season. His career-high is 28 goals from 2009-10 with Colorado.

He’s an interesting piece in this deal (and maybe a future deal?) as his contract doesn’t expire until after the 2014-15 season. He carries a $4.15 million cap hit.

Carrier: Carrier, 19, was the 57th pick of the 2013 NHL Draft. He has 15 points in 20 games with the QMHJHL’s Drummondville Votigeurs this season.

Picks: Buffalo continues to load up on draft picks. With Matt Moulson still in tow and even these new assets carrying at least some trade potential, new GM Tim Murray could revamp this roster in a hurry.

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins