The Bruins traded Trent Frederic to Edmonton on Tuesday as part of a three-team deal. Winslow Townson/Associated Press

The defending Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers made their first big move ahead of the NHL trade deadline by acquiring hard-nosed forward Trent Frederic from the Boston Bruins on Tuesday.

Edmonton sent a 2025 second- and a 2026 fourth-round pick and prospect Max Wanner to Boston for the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder, with the Bruins retaining half of Frederic’s $2.3 million salary. The New Jersey Devils retained another quarter and received the rights to unsigned draft pick Shane Lachance from the Oilers and Petr Hauser from the Bruins in return.

Trading Frederic is the first sell-off by the Bruins, who are among the teams vying for the final couple of playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. Captain Brad Marchand, like Frederic, is a pending free agent, though he has said he would like to play his entire career with Boston and also was injured last weekend and is considered week to week.

Getting the 27-year-old provides Edmonton some much-needed toughness with the aim of helping Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and company make another long playoff run this spring, a year after reaching Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final and losing to Florida. In addition to adding Frederic at a bargain cap hit of $575,000 — under the league minimum — the Oilers also got depth forward Max Jones in this deal.

The deadline is 3 p.m. Friday.

One player who seemingly now will not be on the move is Jake Evans, who signed a four-year, $11.4 million contract extension to remain with the Montreal Canadiens beyond this season.

MARCHAND IS expected to miss two games this week because of an injury.

The Bruins’ captain is officially “week-to-week” with an upper-body injury. Interim coach Joe Sacco wouldn’t confirm if it was a head injury or not.

“Obviously, hard guy to replace. We’re going to miss him,” Sacco said. “Creates opportunities for other guys to step up. Some of our younger guys like (Georgii) Merkulov or (Matt) Poitras, this gives them an opportunity.”

Sacco indicated that the injury wasn’t putting Marchand’s season in jeopardy.

“He’ll be back,” he said.

Marchand, who will be a free agent after the season, has been rumored to be a trade target for a contender, although both he and the Bruins have expressed a desire to have the 36-year-old remain in Boston. With the NHL Trade Deadline coming Friday, any team making a move for Marchand would be taking a chance that his injury doesn’t linger.

Marchand left Saturday’s game at Pittsburgh after needing to be helped off the ice following an awkward hit into the boards.

He traveled with the Bruins to Minnesota but didn’t dress on Sunday.

Nobody wore the captain’s C in his absence. Instead, with he and Charlie McAvoy out, David Pastrnak, Charlie Coyle and Brandon Carlo each wore the alternate captain’s A.