Staying put: Sabres acquire Simmonds, plan to keep him

The latest on the NHL trade deadline (all times Eastern):

12:40 p.m.

The Buffalo Sabres have acquired forward Wayne Simmonds from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a conditional 2021 fifth-round pick, two people familiar with the trade told The Associated Press.

The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because the trade hasn’t been announced.

Simmonds will remain with the Sabres for the duration of the season despite being in the final year of his contract, one of the people told The AP.

Simmonds, 31, adds depth to Buffalo’s forward ranks. The Sabres have been looking for secondary scoring behind captain and leading scorer Jack Eichel.

Simmonds signed a one-year, $5 million deal with the Devils last offseason. The Devils will retain 50 percent of Simmonds’ remaining salary.

A second-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 2007, Simmonds has spent most of his career with the Philadelphia Flyers (2011-19). He has 498 points (251 goals and 247 assists) in 902 career games.

Simmonds has had two 30-goal seasons, with a career-best 32 goals for Philadelphia in 2015-16. He has eight goals and 16 assists for the Devils this season.

The Sabres (29-25-8) are six points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. They have won five of their last six games.