Mikko Rantanen is heading back to the Western Conference. Brad Marchand is headed south.

The Dallas Stars paid a big price to acquire Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes just before the NHL trade deadline on Friday, a move that preceded Marchand’s departure from Boston after 16 seasons and a Stanley Cup championship in 2011.

He will get a shot at a second with the defending champion Florida Panthers. Florida general manager Bills Zito said the Bruins received a second-round pick that turns into a first-rounder dependent on Marchand’s playing time.

“His record speaks for itself. We’re thrilled to have him on board,” Zito said.

Dallas dealt promising rookie forward Logan Stankoven and two first-round and two third-round picks as part of a blockbuster deal to acquire Rantanen. Dallas also agreed to an eight-year, $96 million contract with the high-scoring Finn after both the Hurricanes and Avalanche failed in their attempts to sign him to a long-term deal.

“Obviously a really good team in Carolina. ... But I think just the fit in Dallas,” Rantanen told TSN. “I’ve played against Dallas a lot. I know they have a good team. I know the city well enough and everything there,. So at the end of the day, it was easy.”

The Stars also locked up three-time 20-goal scorer Wyatt Johnston, who is only 21, to a five-year $42 million contract extension, a person with direct knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.

To make room for Rantanen, the Stars put defenseman Miro Heiskanen — listed as month to month after knee surgery — on long-term injured reserve.

“The chance to acquire and extend one of the best forwards in the NHL is an opportunity that we couldn’t pass up,” Stars general manager Jim Nill said. “He demonstrates exceptional skill and vision on the ice and his size, consistency and versatility make him one of the most complete players in the League.”

The second-place Stars made the move at the same time the NHL-leading division-rival Winnipeg Jets improved their lineup with a pair of trades. The Jets acquired forward Brandon Tanev by sending a 2027 second-round pick to Seattle. Winnipeg bolstered its blue line by adding Luke Schenn in a trade with Pittsburgh, two days after the Penguins acquired the rugged defenseman from Nashville.

Meantime, the Ottawa Senators acquired Buffalo forward Dylan Cozens in a four-player deal involving two Atlantic Division rivals.

In adding Cozens, a 2019 first-round pick, defenseman Dennis Gilbert and a 2026 second-round pick, Ottawa dealt center Josh Norris and defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker to the Eastern Conference’s last-place Sabres.

The Senators are seeking to end a seven-season playoff drought. Cozens, 24, is the key to the deal for Ottawa, which entered Friday holding the East’s eighth and final playoff berth. Since a career-best 31 goals in 2022-23, Cozens has 29 goals over his past two seasons, which coincided with him signing a seven-year, $49.7 million contract.