Phil Kessel has been surrounded by trade rumors for most of the offseason. Tonight, one of the most frequently rumored deals came true.

The Bruins tonight traded their high-scoring right winger to the Maple Leafs for a pair of first-round picks and a second-rounder in a swap that brought to an end some two weeks of speculation involving the restricted free agent.

The Bruins, who only had $1.7 million in cap space for the upcoming season, will receive first-round picks in 2010 and 2011. The second-round pick, reacquired by Toronto in a recent trade, is designated for 2010.

Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli will hold a news conference today at 11 a.m. at TD Garden.

Kessel, 21, who scored a team-high 36 goals last season, is expected to sign a five-year contract in excess of $25 million. He was the Bruins’ first pick, fifth overall, in 2006.

The Bruins tried to trade Kessel to the Leafs in June, but the deal fell apart because of a lack of communication. The Bruins thought they were getting Tomas Kaberle, a 31-year-old puck-moving defenseman, and Toronto’s 2009 first-round pick (No. 7 overall), for Kessel and the Bruins’ 2009 first-round pick, No. 25 overall.

Kessel had been at odds with the Bruins all summer and broke off negotiations this week, fueling speculation of his imminent departure.

Entering the season, the Bruins had several key players to sign, Kessel among them, but the Bruins’ top priority was to sign David Krejci.

The Bruins will miss Kessel’s offense, but the team is hoping 41-year-old Mark Recchi, picked up late last season, will fill some of the scoring void.

But nobody on the roster can replace Kessel’s explosiveness. Teamed with craft center Marc Savard, Kessel was a scoring threat every time he stepped on the ice, something the Bruins have lacked since Cam Neely’s retirement in 1996.

Kessel had shoulder surgery in May and may miss the beginning of the 2009-10 season.

In three seasons with the Bruins, he scored 66 goals and added 60 assists in 222 games.

Chad Finn of the Globe staff contributed to this report.