Columbus, OH

The Columbus Blue Jackets have traded Rick Nash to the New York Rangers in exchange for three players and a 2013 first-round draft pick who can help them rebuild after the departure of the high-scoring forward.

"We are excited to complete this trade today as we believe the acquisitions of Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov and Tim Erixon have advanced the club and put us in a stronger position to achieve our goal of winning the Stanley Cup," Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson said in a statement.

Columbus also traded for forward Nick Foligno and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky earlier and acquired defenseman Jack Johnson from Los Angeles in exchange for Jeff Carter. The Blue Jackets drafted defenseman Ryan Murray with the No. 2 pick last month.

"Our forward group is exciting," Howson said. "It's got lots of balance and lots of versatility. What we've done with our defense, I think any team that has success in the League has to be strong on the blue line, and I think we have a very good blue line."

Along with Nash, the Blue Jackets sent the minor league defenseman Steve Delisle and a conditional third-round pick in the 2013 draft to the Rangers.

"I would like to thank all of my fans and the city of New York for everything!" Dubinsky said on his Twitter account shortly after the trade was announced. "My 8 years being part of the NYR have been magical. Thank you!"

The No. 1 pick in the 2002 draft, Nash has scored 289 goals and 547 points in 674 regular-season games since joining the Blue Jackets out of junior hockey in 2002-03. His 231 goals since the end of the 2004-5 lockout ranks sixth in the league over the last seven seasons.

Nash is Columbus's career leader in several statistical categories, but he has played only four postseason games, all in 2009, when the Blue Jackets reached the playoffs for the first time but were swept by Detroit in the opening round.

Nash scored a career-high 41 goals in 2003-4 at age 19, becoming the youngest goal-scoring leader in NHL history. Last season he notched 30 goals and 29 assists for 59 points in 82 games.

"I'd like to thank Rick for everything he's done as a Columbus Blue Jacket," Howson said. "We will be forever grateful."

Dubinsky has scored 81 goals in 393 games since joining the Rangers in 2006 while Anisimov has 46 goals in 244 games since joining the Rangers from the American Hockey League for the last regular-season and playoff game of the 2008-09 season.

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