BOSTON (AP) — The NHL’s best team just got bigger and tougher.

Already on their way to one of the best seasons in hockey history, the Boston Bruins acquired defenseman Dmitry Orlov and forward Garnet Hathaway from the Washington Capitals on Thursday in exchange for forward Craig Smith and three draft choices. It’s the latest big acquisition by an Eastern Conference contender as the league approaches the March 3 trade deadline.

Boston sent a 2023 first-round pick, a 2024 second-rounder, a 2025 third-rounder and Smith to Washington. The Capitals retained half of Orlov’s salary and Minnesota will pay 25%; the Wild will receive a 2023 fifth-rounder for helping Boston stay under the cap.

Minnesota gets a draft pick for helping facilitate a trade for the second time in less than a week. The Wild got a 2025 fourth-round pick from Toronto for retaining salary in the deal that sent Ryan O’Reilly and ex-Bruins forward Noel Acciari from St. Louis to the Maple Leafs.

Orlov, 31, was a homegrown player for Washington and helped the team win the Stanley Cup in 2018. Hathaway, 31, has played on the Capitals’ fourth line for the past four seasons.

“Dmitry has been with our organization for almost 14 years and was a key contributor in helping us win the Stanley Cup,” MacLellan said. “Garnet has been an important part of our team and a role model off the ice for his contributions to our community. We wish both players all the best with Boston.”

Orlov was officially traded from Washington to Minnesota and then on to Boston, with the Wild sending 2017 pick Andrei Svetlakov to the Bruins. Sweeney said he didn’t have any indication that Svetlakov, who’s playing in the KHL, would be leaving Russia.