In shocking news, TSN and RDS is reporting that Scott Gomez has been traded to the Montreal Canadiens for winger Chris Higgins.
Thanks to John Ragus of NYRNation for the tip.
Gomez was making $7.4 million per year with 4 years remaining while Higgins was earning $1.9 million and was a restricted free agent.
More to come...
UPDATE - 5:22
TSN is reporting the trade as the following:
"The Montreal Canadiens have acquired centre Scott Gomez winger Tom Pyatt and defenceman Mike Busto from the New York Rangers in exchange for winger Chris Higgins and defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Pavel Valentenko from the Montreal Canadiens."
UPDATE - 5:35
Here is the official release:
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.
Higgins, 26, has skated in 282 regular season contests with Montreal,
recording 84 goals and 67 assists for 151 points, along with 96 penalty
minutes. The 6-0, 205-pounder has eclipsed the 20-goal mark three
times. In 2007-08, he established career-highs in games played (82),
goals (27), assists (25), points (52), power play goals (12),
game-winning goals (five), and shots (241).
He led Montreal in shots, tied for second on the team in power play
goals and game-winning goals, and ranked third in goals. He was also
one of only three Canadiens to skate in all 82 games during the
season. Higgins registered 11 points (six goals and five assists) in
the first 13 games of the season, and went on to surpass the 20-goal
plateau for the third straight year.
Higgins appeared in 57 games with the Montreal Canadiens this past
season, registering 12 goals and 11 assists for 23 points, along with
22 penalty minutes. He tied for second on the team with two
shorthanded goals, and placed sixth on the club with 151 shots despite
missing 25 games due to injury.
In addition, he led the Canadiens in goals (five) and shots (40) during
the month of November. He tallied his first career hat trick on
November 11 vs. Ottawa to cap off a season-high, four-game scoring
streak that began on November 1 at the New York Islanders, registering
six points (four goals and two assists) over the span.
As a rookie in 2005-06, he led Montreal with three shorthanded goals.
In addition, Higgins has registered six goals and five assists for 11
points in 22 career postseason contests with Montreal.
The Smithtown, New York native was originally Montreal’s first round choice, 14th overall, in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.
McDonagh, 20, skated in 36 contests with the University of Wisconsin
Badgers of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) this past
season, registering five goals and 11 assists for 16 points, along with
59 penalty minutes. The 6-1, 212-pounder established career-highs in
assists (11), points (16) and penalty minutes (59) in his second season
with the Badgers.
The St. Paul, Minnesota native was originally Montreal’s first round choice, 12th overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
Valentenko, 21, split the 2008-09 season between Dynamo Moscow of the
Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and the Hamilton Bulldogs of the
American Hockey League (AHL). The 6-2, 220-pounder collected one
assist in eight games with Dynamo Moscow after beginning the season in
Hamilton, where he tallied two assists in four games.
The Nizhnekamsk, Russia native was originally Montreal’s fifth round choice, 139th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.
Gomez, 29, appeared in 77 games with the Rangers this past season,
collecting 16 goals and 42 assists for 58 points, along with 60 penalty
minutes. He was acquired by the Rangers as a free agent on July 1,
2007.
Pyatt, 22, appeared in 73 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) this
past season, registering 15 goals and 22 assists for 37 points, along
with 22 penalty minutes.
Busto, 23, skated in 54 games with the Charlotte Checkers of the East
Coast Hockey League (ECHL) this past season, recording three goals and
eight assists for 11 points, along with 41 penalty minutes.