Flurry of action ahead of NHL deadline

NEW YORK, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- It was a busy day in the NHL Monday as teams swapped and signed players ahead of the trade deadline but stopped short of blockbuster moves.

The Los Angeles Kings got power forward Dustin Penner from the Edmonton Oilers for defensive prospect Colten Teubert and a first-round pick in this year's draft and a conditional third-round pick in 2012. Penner, 28, has 21 goals and 39 points for the Oilers this season.

The Kings also signed 29-year-old right wing Justin Williams to a four-year contract extension through the 2014-15 season. The deal is worth a reported $14.6 million. He's second on the club with 49 points (20 goals, 29 assists) in 62 games.

Penner, who has a Stanley Cup under his belt and is signed through next season, has 126 goals and 238 points in 405 career games with Anaheim and the Oilers.

The Toronto Maple Leafs traded center John Mitchell to the New York Rangers for a seventh-round draft pick in 2012. Mitchell is out with a knee injury and has registered just three points in 23 games after producing 55 points in 159 games the past three seasons.

The Detroit Red Wings signed goaltender Jimmy Howard to a two-year contract extension Monday for $4.5 million, the Detroit Free Press reported. Howard, 26, has posted a 30-12-3 record with a 2.79 goals-against average and .908 save percentage this season. He would have become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Chicago beefed up its defense by getting Chris Campoli from Ottawa for journeyman forward Ryan Potulny and a conditional second-round pick. Campoli, 26, has three goals and 11 assists in 58 games for the Senators this season. He has 32 goals and 96 assists in 378 career games.

Potulny has spent most of this season in the minors but has 22 goals and 49 points in 119 career games with Chicago, Edmonton and Philadelphia.

Carolina acquired veteran defenseman Bryan Allen from Florida in exchange for forward Sergei Samsonov.

Ottawa extended the contract of defenseman Chris Phillips for three years, through the 2013-14 season for a reported $9.25 million.

Atlanta picked up forward Rob Schremp off waivers from the New York Islanders.

The Washington Capitals got defenseman Dennis Wideman from Florida in exchange for forward prospect Jake Hauswirth and a third-round pick in the 2011 draft.

Buffalo gave up a second-round 2011 draft pick for forward Brad Boyes from the St. Louis Blues.