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.

Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have acquired defenseman Sami Lepisto from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a fifth round draft choice in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The Coyotes also acquired defenseman Shaun Heshka from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for their seventh round choice (187th overall) in the 2009 Entry Draft. Lepisto, 24, recorded four assists in seven games with the Capitals last season. He also appeared in 70 games with Hershey of the American Hockey League (AHL) where he registered 4-38-42 to lead all Hershey defensemen in scoring. He also ranked T-3rd on the team with a +24 rating and 4th on the team with 38 assists. His 42 points ranked T-11th among all AHL defensemen. In 2007-08, the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Lepisto played in seven games with Washington while collecting his first NHL point (assist) versus Atlanta on March 14, 2008. He also appeared in 55 games for Hershey, registering 4-41-45 to lead the team in assists and rank 9th in scoring among AHL defensemen. His +29 rating led Hershey and ranked 3rd in the AHL. Prior to coming to North America for the 2007-08 season, Lepisto played four seasons of professional hockey in Finland for Jokerit. A native of Espoo, Finland, Lepisto played in seven games for Finland at the 2008 World Championship and won a bronze medal with Team Finland at the 2004 World Junior Championship. Lepisto was originally selected by Washington in the third round (66th overall) of the 2004 Entry Draft. Heshka, 23, registered 3-23-26 with 25 PIM and a +17 rating in 77 games with Manitoba of the AHL last season. He ranked 2nd on the team in points among defenseman (26) and T-3rd on the team in plus/minus (+17). Heshka also collected five assists in 22 playoff games last season, helping Manitoba advance to the Calder Cup Finals. The 6-foot-1, 198-pound Heshka has appeared in 211 career AHL games over three seasons with Manitoba, collecting 14-48-62 with 98 PIM and a +36 rating. Prior to his professional career, the native of Melville, Saskatchewan spent three seasons (2003-2006) with Everett of the Western Hockey League (WHL) where he recorded 25-82-107 and 137 PIM in 204 games, along with 5-12-17 in 46 career playoff games. Heshka originally signed with Vancouver as a free agent on July 24, 2006.

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has acquired forward Brian Boyle from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a third round pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Boyle, 24, was originally Los Angeles? first round choice, 26th overall, in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He appeared in 28 games with the Kings last season, registering four goals and one assist for five points, along with 42 penalty minutes. He established career-highs in games played (28) and penalty minutes (42). Boyle notched three goals in a four-game span from March 28 at Nashville to April 4 vs. Phoenix. The Hingham, MA native also skated in 42 games with the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League (AHL), recording 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points, along with 73 penalty minutes. He collected two points (one goal and one assist) in his season debut with the Monarchs on December 5 vs. Worcester. In addition, Boyle posted two, four-game scoring streaks ? December 13 vs. Providence to December 17 at Manitoba (one goal and four assists) and March 4 vs. Springfield to March 8 at Worcester (two goals and two assists). The 6-7, 252-pounder has skated in 36 career NHL games with Los Angeles, recording eight goals and two assists for 10 points, along with 46 penalty minutes. He registered two points (one goal and one assist) and a plus-two rating in his NHL debut on February 2, 2008 at New Jersey. Boyle has also appeared in 114 career AHL contests with Manchester, collecting 41 goals and 42 assists for 83 points, along with 162 penalty minutes. In 2007-08, he established AHL career-highs in games played (70), goals (31), assists (31), points (62), and penalty minutes (87). That year, he led the Monarchs in goals, ranked second on the team in points and fourth in assists. His 31 goals also led all AHL rookies and ranked 10th in the league overall, while he finished second in the league among rookies with 62 points. Boyle also tallied three goals and five assists for eight points in 16 postseason contests with Manchester during the 2007 Calder Cup Playoffs. The Rangers also acquired goaltender Chad Johnson from the Pittsburgh Penguins, in exchange for a fifth round pick (151st overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. Johnson, 23, appeared in 35 games with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks last season, registering a 14-16-5 mark with a 1.66 goals against average. The Calgary, Alberta native was originally Pittsburgh?s fifth round choice, 125th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have acquired defenseman Jim Vandermeer from the Calgary Flames in exchange for right wing Brandon Prust. ?We are excited to add Jim Vandermeer to our lineup,? said Maloney. ?He is a tough, experienced defenseman who will certainly help strengthen our defensive corps.? Vandermeer, 29, appeared in 45 games with Calgary last season, recording 1-6-7 and 108 penalty minutes (PIM). He also played in six playoff games for the Flames. The 6-foot-1, 211-pound Vandermeer registered 3-14-17 and 110 PIM during the 2007-08 season while playing a total of 75 games with Chicago, Philadelphia and Calgary. After beginning the 2007-08 campaign with Chicago, where he collected 2-7-9 and 44 PIM in 26 games, he was traded to Philadelphia on Dec. 18, 2007. He recorded 1-5-6 and 27 PIM in 28 games for the Flyers before being dealt to Calgary on Feb. 20, 2008 where he registered two assists and 39 PIM in 21 games. He finished the season by appearing in seven playoff games for the Flames. A native of Caroline, Alberta, Vandermeer has appeared in 312 career NHL games with Philadelphia, Chicago and Calgary. He began his NHL career with the Flyers in 2002-03, recording 2-1-3 in 24 games. The following season, he collected 5-12-17 in 46 games as he split the season between Philadelphia and Chicago. Vandermeer had a career year in 2005-06 for the Blackhawks, setting career-highs in goals (6), assists (18), points (24), PIM (116) and games played (76). He has also played in 21 career NHL playoff contests. Vandermeer has played in 200 career American Hockey League (AHL) games, recording 9-37-46 and 494 PIM with Philadelphia and Norfolk. Prior to his professional career, he spent four seasons (1997-2001) with Red Deer of the Western Hockey League (WHL). In 241 games with Red Deer, he collected 41-93-134 and 714 PIM while serving as team captain during his final two seasons. In 2000-01, he helped lead Red Deer to both the WHL Championship and Memorial Cup Championship while being named the Canadian Major Junior Humanitarian Player of the Year and a WHL East First Team All-Star. Prust, 25, recorded one assist and 29 PIM in 11 games with the Coyotes last season after being acquired from Calgary on March 4, 2009. He finished the season with 1-2-3 and 108 PIM in 36 total games with the Coyotes and Flames in 2008-09. In 46 career NHL games, Prust has registered 1-2-3 and 133 PIM.

The Wild have acquired center Kyle Brodziak from the Oilers in exchange for Minnesota?s fourth and fifth round picks in this year?s draft. Wild GM Chuck Fletcher says Minnesota also got Edmonton?s sixth-round pick in the deal announced Saturday.

The Flames have acquired highly coveted defenseman Jay Bouwmeester from the Panthers. In exchange, Calgary sent defenseman Jordan Leopold and a third-round pick (No. 67) in this year's draft. Both Bouwmeester and Leopold are slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1, giving the teams four days of exclusive negotiating rights.

The Flyers made the biggest early splash at the NHL 2009 draft when they acquired defenseman Chris Pronger on Friday, as reported by the Associated Press. Pronger and prospect Ryan Dingle went from the Ducks to Philadelphia for forward Joffrey Lupul, defenseman Luca Sbisa, first-round picks in 2009 and 2010 and a conditional third-round pick in 2010 or 2011.

Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have acquired left wing Stefan Meyer from the Florida Panthers in exchange for the rights to pending unrestricted free agent center Steven Reinprecht. ?Steven was a professional individual throughout his time in Phoenix and we wish to thank him for his service to our organization,? said Maloney. ?However, as a pending unrestricted free agent, we did not intend to re-sign him and we are excited to add a young prospect in Stefan Meyer to our organization.? Meyer, 23, recorded 18-22-40 and 57 penalty minutes (PIM) in 65 games last season with Rochester of the American Hockey League (AHL) to rank 3rd on the team in scoring. In 266 career AHL games with Rochester, the native of Medicine Hat, Alberta has registered 64-66-130 and 363 PIM. He also appeared in four NHL games with Florida during the 2007-08 campaign. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Meyer spent four full seasons (2001-2005) with Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League (WHL) prior to his professional career, collecting 123-123-246 and 311 PIM in 282 career games. In 2004, he helped lead Medicine Hat to the WHL Championship, recording 7-10-17 in 19 playoff games. He also scored two goals in four games during the 2004 Memorial Cup. Meyer was originally selected by Florida in the second round (55th overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. Reinprecht, 33, registered 14-27-41 and 20 PIM in 73 games with the Coyotes last season. In 552 career NHL games with Los Angeles, Colorado, Calgary and the Coyotes, the 6-foot, 200-pound Reinprecht has recorded 120-214-334 and 162 PIM. He was acquired by the Coyotes from Calgary on Feb. 1, 2006.