Rangers move Gaborik to Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets were busy at the NHL trade deadline on Wednesday, pulling off one of the biggest deals of the day with the acquisition of Marian Gaborik from the New York Rangers for three players and a draft pick.

The Jackets also obtained forward Blake Comeau in a trade with the Calgary Flames for a fifth-round draft pick.

To land Gaborik, the Jackets gave up center Derick Brassard, winger Derek Dorsett, defenseman John Moore and a sixth-round pick in the 2013 draft. Gaborik waived his no-trade clause to allow the transaction to take place.

Gaborik, a three-time All-Star and five-time 30-goal scorer who had 41 last season, should provide a boost to a Blue Jackets attack that lost Rick Nick to, coincidentally, the Rangers after last season. Vinny Prospal is the only Blue Jackets player to score 10 goals this season.

But Gaborik has slumped this year. In 35 games, he has nine goals and 10 assists.

Gaborik, 31, has two years to go on a five-year, $37.5 million deal. The annual salary cap hit is $7.5 million.

New Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, who took the job less than two months ago, make bold moves at the deadline on Wednesday that could keep Columbus in the hunt for the playoffs. Columbus is fighting for the final berth in the Western Conference.

The Rangers are getting serviceable players in Brassard, Columbus' first-round pick in 2006; Moore, the Jackets' first-round selection in 2009, and Dorsett, an alternate captain who led the NHL in penalty minutes last season. Dorsett is out for the remainder of the regular season with a broken clavicle.

Comeau, a 27-year-old pending unrestricted free agent, has four goals and three assists in 33 games this season for the Flames.