For weeks the Ottawa Senators were expected to be sellers in the final weeks leading up to the trade deadline. Despite their recent improvement under new head coach Cory Clouston and suggestions from GM Bryan Murray that he wasn't giving up on the season it was believed Murray would start dumping assets to playoff-bound teams soon.

Murray however may have sent a message today that he still believes in his team, acquiring center Mike Comrie and defenseman Chris Campoli from the New York Islanders in exchange for forward Dean McAmmond and a first round pick in 2009, which originally belonged to the San Jose Sharks.

Comrie, 28, has 20 points in 41 games and missed 17 games earlier in the season with a hip injury. He's eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer and this move suggests he may not have plans of returning to the Islanders after this season.  He'd played 41 games for the Senators during the 2006-07 season.

The surprising part of this deal is landing Campoli, a puck-moving defenseman that had been considered at one time a key part of the Islanders future but according to Newsday's Greg Logan the 24-year-old Campoli wasn't getting along with head coach Scott Gordon and requested a trade.

With another season remaining on his current contract at a cap hit of only $633K this is a very affordable pickup for the Senators, who'd been in the market for a puck-moving defenseman for some time.

The Islanders certainly didn't get much back for these two. The 35-year-old McAmmond is on the downside of his career, has a history of concussion injuries and might not find an NHL contract next summer when he becomes a UFA.

The first round pick isn't bad as this year's draft is expected to be a very deep one, but it's the Sharks pick so it'll be no better than 28th overall. Perhaps the Isles can use that as bait either at the trade deadline or more likely at this year's draft to land a young player.

This deal in the short term very much favors the Senators. Only time will tell if this can translate into something good for the Isles.