Maple Leafs Get Muller and Beaupre

The Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders made the best of a bad situation while the Toronto Maple Leafs added Kirk Muller in hopes of challenging for the Stanley Cup.

In a three-way trade completed Tuesday after two weeks of talks, the Maple Leafs acquired Muller from the Islanders and veteran goaltender Don Beaupre from the Senators in the seven-player deal.

The Senators got Toronto backup goaltender Damian Rhodes and junior star defenseman Wade Redden, the Islanders’ first-round pick last year.

The Islanders picked up Ottawa center Martin Straka, minor league left wing Ken Belanger from the Leafs and promising junior defenseman Bryan Berard, picked first overall last year by the Senators.

Muller and Berard had been at odds with the Islanders and Senators. The Leafs, meanwhile, had been looking to shake up a club that entered the All-Star break on a three-game slide.

“We’re a little better now,” Toronto Coach Pat Burns said. “We didn’t give up any elements that would set us back . . . we didn’t hurt our lineup.

“Kirk is a good cornerman and a hard worker. I can see Dougie Gilmour having more spark with Kirk here.”

Muller will skate with the Leafs tonight, but Burns said he may not be ready for the home game tonight against Chicago.

“He’s in junior shape right now,” Burns said. “He’s got to get into NHL shape.”

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The Ottawa Senators traded center Dan Quinn to the Philadelphia Flyers for future considerations.

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Defenseman Yves Racine was claimed on waivers by the San Jose Sharks while forward Oleg Petrov cleared waivers and was assigned to Fredericton of the AHL, the Montreal Canadiens said.