The Canadiens have claimed veteran center Glen Metropolit off waivers from the Flyers. "Glen is a seasoned veteran who played very well against us in last year's playoffs against the Bruins," Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey said in a statement. "We are very pleased to have him on our roster."

The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has recalled left wing Drew Miller from the Iowa Chops, Anaheim?s primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). In addition, the Ducks have reassigned defenseman Brian Salcido to Iowa. Miller, 25 (2/17/84), has scored 0-4=4 points with 11 penalty minutes (PIM) in 13 games with the Ducks this season. A 2009 PlanetUSA AHL All-Star, Miller has appeared in 46 games with the Chops in 2008-09, collecting 21-13=34 points with 10 PIM. At the time of his recall, Miller led Iowa in goals, power play goals (7) and shorthanded goals (3), and ranked second in points. Selected in the sixth round (186th overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Miller appeared in 26 games with the Ducks last season, scoring 2-3=5 points with six PIM. He made his regular season NHL debut on Oct. 6, 2007 at Pittsburgh and scored his first career NHL goal in a 3-1 Anaheim victory on Oct. 17 vs. Nashville. Miller spent the rest of 2007-08 with Anaheim?s then-AHL affiliate in Portland, collecting 16-20=36 points with 12 PIM in 31 games. The 6-2, 185-pound winger also scored 1-7=8 points with 12 PIM in 16 Calder Cup Playoff games, helping the Pirates to an AHL Eastern Conference Finals appearance. Salcido, 23 (4/14/85), appeared in two games with Anaheim, scoring 0-1=1 point with a +2 rating. Salcido made his NHL debut on Feb. 20 at Detroit and collected his first career NHL point with an assist in a 5-2 Ducks victory on Feb. 21 at Columbus. With Iowa, the Hermosa Beach, California native has scored 7-25=32 points with 69 PIM in 54 games. Salcido returns to the Chops leading the team in assists while ranking third in points and pacing team defensemen in points-per-game (0.59). Selected in the fifth round (141st overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Salcido has appeared in the last two AHL All-Star Classics (2008, 2009). He has played three seasons in the AHL with Iowa (2008-09) and Portland (2006-08), scoring 25-87=112 points with 199 PIM in 201 games. In 2007-08, Salcido finished second in scoring among AHL blue-liners with 11-42=53 points in 71 games.

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Friday that defenceman Jaime Sifers has been assigned to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. Sifers was recalled by the Maple Leafs from the Marlies on February 9. He is expected to join the Marlies on Saturday night when they play the Bulldogs in Hamilton. In 28 games with the Marlies this season, Sifers has two goals and nine assists to go along with 34 minutes in penalties. He played in 23 games for the Maple Leafs registering two assists and 18 penalty minutes.

According to two sources, the Stars are expected to place Sean Avery on re-entry waivers Monday. Such a move would allow Avery to return to the Rangers, if the club decides to put in a claim on him.

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Friday that defenceman Anton Stralman has been assigned to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. Stralman and forward Tim Stapleton were recalled by the Leafs following Wednesday?s game in Toronto versus the New York Rangers. Stralman is expected to be in the Marlies lineup tonight when they play in Cleveland against the Lake Erie Monsters. Stralman has played in 24 games for the Marlies this season registering three goals, four assists and seven points to go along with 18 penalty minutes and a plus eight (+8) rating. In 29 games with the Maple Leafs, he has nine points on one goal and eight assists with 12 minutes in penalties.

Devils goalie Martin Brodeur will finally return from an elbow injury on Thursday night against the Avalanche. "We do something pretty cool playing hockey, so I am excited every game to play," Brodeur said. "But definitely there is a little more emphasis on this. I have not played in a long time and I want to get out there and see how it goes." Brodeur hasn't played since Nov. 1 because of a torn biceps muscle in his left elbow.

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has named John Tortorella as the team's new Head Coach. Tortorella, 50, becomes the 34th Head Coach in the 83-year history of the Rangers. He returns to the organization after serving as Head Coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning for seven seasons. Under his guidance, Tampa Bay compiled a 239-222-36-38 record in 535 games. He led the Lightning to four consecutive Stanley Cup Playoff appearances, including two Southeast Division Championships in 2002-03 and 2003-04. In 2003-04, Tortorella guided Tampa Bay to a franchise record 46 wins and 106 points, and went on to capture the club?s first Stanley Cup Championship. He was awarded the Jack Adams Award as the National Hockey League?s top coach following that season. Tortorella joined Tampa Bay following a one-year stint with the Rangers in 1999-2000 where he was an Assistant Coach and served as Head Coach for the final four games of the season. Prior to joining the Rangers, he spent two seasons as an Assistant Coach with the Phoenix Coyotes. He joined Phoenix during the 1997-98 season, after spending the previous eight seasons with the Buffalo Sabres organization. Tortorella served as an Assistant Coach with the Sabres from 1989-90 to 1994-95 and as Head Coach with their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans, during the 1995-96 and 1996-97 campaigns. He guided the club to the Calder Cup championship in 1995-96.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-assigned right wing Steve Downie and defenseman Ty Wishart to Norfolk of the American Hockey League, Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced. Downie, a 5-foot-10, 192-pound native of Newmarket, Ontario, has recorded three goals, three assists and 65 penalty minutes in 29 games with the Lightning and Philadelphia this season. Acquired in a trade with the Flyers on November 7, Downie has skated in 23 AHL games with Norfolk and Philadelphia this season tallying nine goals and 33 points. He has played in 61 career NHL games recording nine goals, 18 points and 138 penalty minutes. Downie, 21, played in 190 career junior games with Windsor, Peterborough and Kitchener. He amassed 82 career goals and 234 points. He also appeared in 43 OHL playoff games, recording 18 goals and 53 points. Downie was originally drafted by Philadelphia in the first round, 29th overall, at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Wishart, 6 foot 4 and 205 pounds, has played in five games with the Lightning this season, recording his first career assist. In 46 games with the Admirals this season he has recorded one goal and four points with a plus-2 rating. Wishart scored his first professional goal and was named the third star on December 19 against Albany. He made his NHL debut with the Lightning on January 3, 2009, logging 7:53 in ice time with one shot on goal. A native of Comox, British Columbia, Wishart made his professional debut last season with the Worcester Sharks of the AHL, playing in five games. Before joining the Sharks he played in 262 career games in the WHL with Prince George and Moose Jaw, recording 33 goals and 161 points. He also played in 26 career WHL playoff games, recording four goals and 15 points. Wishart, 20, was acquired by the Lightning from San Jose on July 4, 2008. He was drafted by the Sharks in the first round, 16th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen on injured reserve and have recalled defenseman Aaron Rome from the American Hockey League?s Syracuse Crunch, club General Manager Scott Howson announced today. Tollefsen is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks with a lower body injury. Tollefsen, 24, has collected one assist and 37 penalty minutes in 19 games this season. The Oslo, Norway native was Columbus? third pick, 65th overall, in the 2002 Entry Draft. He has registered four goals and six assists for 10 points and racked up 273 penalty minutes in 145 career NHL games. Rome, 25, has tallied 7-21-28, 153 penalty minutes and a plus/minus rating of +7 in 48 games with the Crunch this season. He leads Syracuse defensemen in scoring, ranks second on the club in plus/minus and third in penalty minutes. The Nesbitt, Manitoba native has registered 27-95-122 and 666 penalty minutes in 318 career AHL games. Los Angeles? fourth pick, 104th overall, in the 2002 Entry Draft, Rome made his NHL debut with the Anaheim Ducks in 2006-07 as he appeared in one regular season and one playoff game. He was acquired by the Blue Jackets along with defenseman Clay Wilson in exchange for forward Geoff Platt on Nov. 15, 2007. He tallied 1-1-2 and 33 penalty minutes in 17 games with the Blue Jackets in 2007-08.

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Friday that goaltender Justin Pogge has been assigned to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. He was last recalled by the Maple Leafs on February 16. Pogge has played in 37 games for the Marlies this season and has compiled a record of 19-14-4 with a 2.75 goals against average and a .894 save percentage. In four games with the Leafs in 2008-09, he has registered a 1-3-1 record.