Nick Holden is Broadway bound.
The New York Rangers acquired the Colorado Avalanche defenceman from St. Albert for a fourth-round pick in the 2017 National Hockey League entry draft in Saturday's transaction.
Holden, 29, skated in 82 games this season with Colorado and registered six, goals, 22 points and 24 penalty minutes.
The six-foot-four, 210-pound rearguard also established career highs in 2015/16 in games played, assists (16), average ice time (21:52), hits (217), and blocked shots (118) while paired mostly with Tyson Barrie.
He also ranked second on Colorado in hits to lead the team's defencemen in that category and was fourth in average ice time.
The St. Albert minor hockey product has two years left on his contract with an annual salary cap hit of $1.65 million.
Holden's career totals over parts of five seasons with Colorado and Columbus Blue Jackets include 21 goals, 61 points and 74 penalty minutes in 221 games, plus three goals and one assist in seven playoff games with the Avalanche in 2014.
Holden was originally signed by Columbus as an undrafted free agent on March 28, 2008 after serving as captain of the Chilliwack Bruins in the Western Hockey League, following stints in the Alberta Junior Hockey League with the Sherwood Park Crusaders and Camrose Kodiaks.
The former midget AAA St. Albert Raider made his NHL debut on Oct. 20, 2010 in a 3-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
After five seasons and 295 games in the American Hockey League with the Columbus affiliates in Syracuse and Springfield, Holden inked a two-year deal with Colorado on July 5, 2013 and the next year on Canada Day agreed to a three-year extension.
The first NHL goal for the St. Albert Catholic High School alumnus was scored in his 11th game and fourth with Colorado and it was the 4-1 winner against Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals on Nov. 10, 2013.
In his three seasons with Colorado, Holden led the Avalanche defencemen in hits (491) and ranked third amongst team's blueliners in goals (21), assists (40), and points (61).
Jost drafted
The 10th overall selection in the National Hockey League entry draft has St. Albert connections.
Tyson Jost was picked by the Colorado Avalanche on Friday and the two-way centre has been compared to Jonathan Toews.
At age 13, the St. Albert-born Jost moved to Kelowna, along with his grandparents, to play at the Pursuit of Excellence Academy where his cousin, Brendan, attended.
He would later play two seasons with the Penticton Vees in the British Columbia Hockey League and is coming off a 42-goal, 104-point campaign in 48 games as the team captain.
Jost, 18, joins Kyle Turris (third overall to the Phoenix Coyotes in 2007) as the only top-10 NHL draft picks in BCHL history.
The last 12 months for Jost include a gold medal with Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, a gold medal with Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge and set a new Canadian scoring record at the U18 World Championship, where his 15 points in seven games surpassed Connor McDavid's previous record.
Jost was the captain for Canada at the World Junior A Challenge and U18 worlds.
He was also honoured as the most valuable player in the BCHL and the Canadian Junior Hockey League's National Player of the Year.
The five-foot-11, 191-pound Jost will attend the University of North Dakota in the fall.
Hagel selected
Brandon Hagel of Morinville was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the National Hockey League entry draft Saturday.
The left-winger from the Red Deer Rebels in the Western Hockey League was picked in the sixth round, 159th overall.
Hagel, 17, registered 13 goals, 47 points and 46 penalty minutes in 72 games with the Rebels before adding one goal and nine assists in 17 playoff games in his first WHL season. He also had one assist in four games for the Memorial Cup hosts.
The six-foot, 165-pound Hagel played his bantam AAA, midget 15 and midget AAA with the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers and spent games with the Whitecourt Wolverines in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
