New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has acquired forward Chris Higgins and defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Valentenko from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forwards Scott Gomez and Tom Pyatt, and defenseman Mike Busto.

The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed right wing Troy Bodie to a two-year contract extension through the 2010-11 NHL season. Per club policy, financial terms were not disclosed. Bodie, 24 (1/25/85), appeared in four games with Anaheim last season, going scoreless. Signed as a free agent on July 22, 2008, Bodie made his NHL debut on Jan. 16 at Pittsburgh, recording 6:44 TOI. He spent the remainder of the 2008-09 season with Anaheim?s then-primary developmental affiliate in Iowa, scoring 15-12=27 points with 105 penalty minutes (PIM) in 71 games. A native of Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, Bodie has appeared in 153 career AHL games, earning 24-19=43 points with 275 PIM. The 6-4, 215-pound winger spent the 2007-08 season with Springfield (AHL), recording 9-6=15 points in 62 contests. He logged 108 PIM with the Falcons, finishing third on the team. Originally selected by Edmonton in the ninth round (278th overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Bodie made his professional debut in 2006-07, splitting the season with Stockton (ECHL) and Hamilton (AHL).

Rick Nash has one year left on his contract with the only team for which he has played, and the Blue Jackets want to sign him to a long-term deal before he can become an free agent next summer, according to an Associated Press report on Tuesday. One of the top forwards in the league, it?s not just a wild rumor that the Maple Leafs covet the kid who grew up in suburban Brampton.

San Jose defenseman Rob Blake has agreed to a one-year deal to remain with the Sharks, as reported by ESPN on Tuesday. Blake was scheduled to become a free agent when the period opened at midnight Wednesday. The deal is worth $3.5M in base salary, plus bonuses. Blake had 45 points and a plus-15 rating in 73 games with the Sharks last season, when he earned $5 million. Blake has 747 points (233 goals, 514 assists) in 1,200 career regular-season games in 18 NHL seasons.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have hired Dave Rook as the club?s goaltending coach, General Manager Scott Howson announced today. Rook, who served as a goaltending consultant for the St. Louis Blues from 2006-09, began working with the club during this week?s Development Camp. ?We are very pleased to welcome Dave to our coaching staff,? said Howson. ?He is an experienced coach who helped Steve Mason become a prolific goaltender in the Ontario Hockey League, which has led to his success in the National Hockey League. We feel that Dave can work with the goaltenders in our system and take them to a higher level.? In addition to his work with St. Louis? affiliates and goaltending prospects, Rook has spent the past six years as the goaltending coach for the OHL?s London Knights, where he worked with current Blue Jackets netminder Steve Mason. In 2006-07, Mason was named the OHL Goaltender of the Year and a year later he was again one of the league?s top players and earned Most Valuable Player and Top Goaltender honors helping Team Canada win the gold medal at the 2008 World Junior Championships. A native of London, Ontario, Rook played professionally in Europe for five seasons from 1991-96 before embarking on his teaching and consulting career. He worked for the London (Ontario) Nationals Junior B team from 1996-2003 before joining the Knights for the 2003-04 season and later helped London win the Memorial Cup championship in 2004-05.

The Blues are cutting ties with Jay McKee, buying out the final year of the defenseman's contract, according to an ESPN report on Monday. McKee signed a four-year, $16M free agent contract in 2006 and was due $4M for next season. The Blues are responsible for two-thirds ($2.64M) of McKee's salary, which will be spread out the next two seasons.

The Hurricanes are keeping forward Jussi Jokinen, agreeing to a two-year deal on Monday, according to an ESPN report. Jokinen's new contract will pay him $1.5M next season and $1.9M in 2010-11. Jokinen could have become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday.

The Blackhawks on Monday re-signed forward Dave Bolland to a five-year deal, locking up one of the team's consistent performers last season, according to an ESPN report. The new contract is worth $16.875M for an average of $3.375M per year.

The Penguins made a move to retain a key piece of their championship team on Monday, agreeing to terms with winger Bill Guerin, according to an ESPN report. Guerin who would have become an unrestricted free agent Wednesday, signed for $2M, accepting a pay cut to stay with the team after making $4.5M last season with the Islanders and Penguins. "There's a lot of good teams I could have played for but this obviously was the best fit," Guerin told ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun late Monday.

Ron Wilson's coaching staff for the U.S. Olympic team has added John Tortorella and Scott Gordon as assistants. Tortorella coaches the Rangers and Gordon coaches the Islanders.