The Florida Panthers have acquired Ben Chiarot from the Montreal Canadiens, taking one of the most coveted defensemen off the market ahead of Monday's NHL trade deadline.

The Panthers on Wednesday sent their 2023 first-round pick, a 2022 fourth-round pick and unsigned college prospect Tyler Smilanic to the Canadiens, who agreed to retain half of Chiarot's $3.5 million salary in order to make the trade more cap-friendly.