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Sam Gagner had heard his name in trade talk for quite some time, but even he couldnt have expected this. Gagner was traded twice Sunday, first from the Edmonton Oilers to Tampa Bay and then from the Lightning to the Arizona Coyotes. Edmonton got Teddy Purcell, the Lightning got a sixth-round pick and salary-cap space and the 24-year-old centre got to experience a "roller-coaster of emotions." "I was talking to my agent, and he had said when Tampa traded for me that there might be something else going on," Gagner said. "So it was something I was prepared for. I wasnt really expecting to be traded (again) today. But its one of those things that happens in sports, and I guess youve got to be ready for it at all times." Trading Gagner, who has two years left on his contract at a cap hit of $4.8 million, now was important to Edmonton because his no-trade clause was set to kick in July 1. Coyotes general manager Don Maloney said he got a call from Oilers counterpart Craig MacTavish early Sunday, but by the time he called back to discuss Gagner there was already a verbal agreement with Steve Yzerman on a trade to Tampa Bay. By sending Purcell, a 28-year-old winger, to the Oilers, the Lightning shed themselves of his $4.5 million cap hit over the next two seasons. The St. Johns, N.L., native has 228 points in 401 regular-season games and 18 in 22 playoff games. The Lightning were prepared to buy out Gagners contract, but that plan was put on hold when Maloney expressed interest in the London, Ont., native whom the Coyotes coveted for some time but saw his salary as a bit too rich for their blood. Still, they wanted to get something done. "(The Lightning) were trying to free up some cap space to do some other things, which obviously they did when they traded Teddy Purcell," Maloney said on a conference call late Sunday night. "Basically we hung up the phone, I said (to Yzerman), Im going to have a beer, you go have a glass of wine and if you can come up with an idea, call me back." Maloney and his staff came up with the idea of putting gritty winger B.J. Crombeen and his $1.15-million cap hit in the trade, and it got done once Tampa Bay agreed to retain one-third of Gagners salary and cap hit, which would have been the price had he been bought out. The Coyotes could have waited for Tuesdays start of the free-agent signing period to take a run at Gagner, but that wasnt a risk Maloney was willing to take. "That concerned me," he said. "As were looking and exploring how we help our centre ice and whats happening right now, it scared me to death." So the Coyotes paid a small price in the form of a sixth-rounder in next years draft to make it happen and not worry about paying a free-agent premium or losing Gagner to another team. "It came together in a hurry," Maloney said. "I think theres three of us that feel pretty good about our day so far." None of the three general managers involved in Gagners moves Sunday are finished. MacTavish shipping Gagner out of Edmonton, though, was no small step forward in his retooling effort. Gagner, the sixth overall pick in 2007, seemed to be just outside the Oilers core, which includes Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle. He has 295 points in 481 games, all with the Oilers, including 10 goals and 27 assists last season. That kind of production isnt something Gagner is proud of and is hoping for a bounce-back season. The setting for that will now be the Arizona desert. Edmonton moving on from Gagner wasnt terribly surprising to him, given the franchises playoff drought that pre-dates his entering the league. "You have to expect things to happen when the team hasnt done well," Gagner said on a conference call. "Theres going to be change when things dont go well. I expected that at some point I might be part of it." Drafting big German centre Leon Draisaitl third overall Friday night might have been enough to convince MacTavish it was time to move Gagner. "I think (Draisaitl) helps us fill a need, gives us an opportunity to have a strong centreman with some size that can play ahead of or behind the Nuge, whatever way it works, and well give him that opportunity," director of amateur scouting Stu MacGregor said Saturday in Philadelphia. In Arizona, Gagner will get the opportunity to replace Mike Ribeiro, who was bought out of the final four seasons of his contract for what Maloney called "behavioural issues." Gagner should get power-play time and a chance to provide the hard-working, well-coached Coyotes with an offensive spark. "We got him for his offensive instincts and creativity," Maloney said. "Players can learn to play better defence. Its very difficult to learn to be more intelligent and more creative." At 24, Gagner could still have room to grow. Maloney hopes he can become more than just a 40-to-50-point player along the way. Thats what Gagner was with the Oilers, who did not make the playoffs in any of his seven NHL seasons. He would have liked things to work out in Edmonton but understood something had to give when they didnt. "We didnt have much success as a team and theres going to be a lot of changes that comes from that," he said. "It doesnt work out everywhere all the time." It wasnt going to work out in Tampa, where the Lightning were manoeuvring for free agency with a series of moves Sunday. In addition to sending Purcell to Edmonton and Gagner and Crombeen to Arizona, they traded forward Nate Thompson and his $1.6-million cap hit to the Anaheim Ducks for fourth- and seventh-round picks in next years draft. All told and including retaining a portion of Gagners salary, Tampa Bay cleared $5.65 million in cap space. Its believed that Yzerman is looking for a right-handed-shooting defenceman and could also be targeting a winger to play alongside Steven Stamkos. That will have to wait until Tuesday when teams are able to sign free agents. By the time Sunday was over, three teams got to be satisfied with their respective hauls. "Obviously Edmonton got what they needed, what they wanted and a real talented player in Teddy Purcell," Maloney said. "Tampa received what they needed to free up a lot of cap space, they get a draft asset and we got what we wanted, and were searching for is a young, skilled centre-iceman in Sam Gagner and really a guy weve coveted for a while in B.J. Crombeen." Under Armour Wholesale Outlet . This week they discuss the Philadelphia 76ers, Gregg Popovich, Royal and Ancient Golf Club and Bill Belichick. Under Armour Shoes Clearance Sale . Their 9-19 record remains identical to the crosstown rivals in Brooklyn and trails both Toronto and Boston in the Atlantic Division. Raymond Felton, their declining point guard, is back on the sideline nursing his third injury of the season. http://www.underarmourwholesale.com/ . -- Center Max Unger and tight end Zach Miller are both probable for the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday against the New York Giants and Percy Harvins recovery continues to be slow. Wholesale Under Armour Shoes China .C. United have acquired midfielder Alex Caskey from the Seattle Sounders for a third-round pick in the 2016 MLS draft. Under Armour Shoes Sale Online . -- Cam Newton pranced into the end zone, placed his hands over his chest and did his familiar Superman pose.New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith is coming off a rookie season where he threw 21 interceptions to just 12 touchdowns. In the offseason, the Jets signed Michael Vick to compete with Smith, although the veteran signal-caller appears to have already surrendered the starting job. "I think everybody wants to start, but right now thats not my position," Vick told ESPN on Tuesday. "Geno was drafted in the second round and this is his second year and I think he deserves an opportunity to go out and play and show why hes been a high draft pick. It would be unfortunate for him to not get that opportunity." Head coach Rex Ryan reiterated on Tuesday that Vicks role is to push Smith for starting snaps, but admitted his role goes further than just holding the clipboard behind the West Virginia product. "Mikes role is to come in here and compete and be the best that he can possibly be and I think hes doing that," Ryan told TSN. "Also, it is to be a mentor to a young player like Geno Smith. We try to pride ourselves on creating a culture of competition and to make yourself the best you can be but also push the guy in front of you, behind you and across from you. I think when you do that, thats the best thing for this team and it develops the chemistry and thats what Mikes doing." Whether Vick is his backup or not, Smith is looking to take as much advice and experience from the former Philadelphia Eagle as possible as he attempts to improve on his disastrous 2013 stat line. "I look at him as a big brother" Smith said to TSN. "I look at him as the veteran that he is, a guy that can definitely lend a helping hand to us all, all of us younger guys in this locker room. Especially myself, you know, being that hes played in this system and been a quarterback in the NFL for 11 years now. Just learning from him as well as competing with him and us helping one another get better is definitely something thats helping me out." Ryan has yet to name the starter for the Jets, but he has hinted - albeit less strongly than Vick has - the nod will go to Smith. On Tuesday, the sixth-year coach praised Smiths improvement from the end of his 2013 season to his sophomore camp. "You have to start with how he finished last season," Ryan stated. "The first 12 weeks, I think he had a 28 quarterback rating and the last month he had the second highest rating in the NFL. It started with how he took care of the football and obviously became more accurate as he got used to seeing NFL coverages. "In the offseason, he prided himself on not just learning the offence but he wanted to build his body up, understanding the grind it takes in the NFL. Hes put on weight, hes put on muscle so hes improved physically, and mentally, hes really been in the playbook. The way he carries himself now on the practice field, its like hes been in the system for five years.ddddddddddddquot; Smiths offseason preparations ahead of 2014 had a one main focus; lowering his interception count from 21 - the fourth-most in the NFL last season. "The number one thing we studied is turnovers," said Smith, who also lost four of his eight fumbles in 2013. "Obviously we had a few too many turnovers last year and we feel that if we cut those down, wed have a pretty good year. The main thing was being able to improve on everything. My footwork, my reads and cutting down on my turnovers, taking less chances and being very careful with the ball." Smith also projects to improve in 2014 from the play of free-agent signees Eric Decker and Chris Johnson. Decker posted a career-high 1,288 receiving yards last season as he finished as the Denver Broncos second leading receiver. He has also posted back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons. Johnson was released by the Tennessee Titans after posting a career-worst 3.9 yards per carry average in 2013. However, Johnson has never rushed for less than 1,000 yards in a season. Now five years removed from his 2,000 yard season, Johnson scored 10 combined rushing and receiving touchdowns last year. Smith should also benefit from the additions the Jets made through the NFL Draft in May. The Jets selected tight end Jace Amaro in the second round and later selected receivers Jalen Saunders and Shaq Evans in the fourth round. "Having those guys in addition to the guys we got coming back is definitely going to help us out," Smith said. "We all collectively have to come together and just keep getting better and keep pushing one another." As for Vick, hes learning to accept the change from being the star starter to the veteran backup. "Its a different transition," the veteran said. "You go from taking all the snaps with (the first-string offence) and the feeling of being in control and knowing that everything falls on you as far as responsibilities to the quarterback position. Its different, Im used to that. Not having to be in that situation right now, I wont say its a breath of fresh air. But, as of right now, I get to tighten my game up, catch my breath for a second and watch Geno grow as a quarterback." When the Jets will officially announce their starting quarterback remains a mystery, though the decision may remain simply a formality. "Well do it when we think its right," Ryan said. "You have to be true to your team values in creating competition. We havent named (defensive lineman) Muhammad Wilkerson a starter even though he should be a starter in the Pro Bowl but we still havent named him yet. Everything will play out the way its going to play out and give people opportunities." The Jets open their preseason against Indianapolis Colts on August 7, when both Smith and Vick are expected to take snaps at quarterback. ' ' '