Hockey News

MONTREAL, Quebec - Montreal Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey announced today the signing of free-agent defenseman Chad Anderson to a one-year, two-way American Hockey League / National Hockey League contract for the 2008-2009 season. As per club policy, financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Anderson, 26, spent the 2007-2008 season with the AHL’s Philadelphia Phantoms. In 55 regular season games, the 6′4″, 217-pound rearguard registered 13 points (two goals, 11 assists), 35 penalty minutes and finished second on the team with a +11 rating.

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MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens signed minor-league defenceman Chad Anderson to a one-year contract, the club announced Wednesday.

Anderson, a 26-year-old free agent, signed a two-way contract and will likely play for the Hamilton Bulldogs next season. The six-foot-four, 217-pound blue-liner played for the AHL Philadelphia Phantoms last season, where he had two goals and 11 assists and was plus-11.

The Canadiens have been restocking their top farm club with veterans.

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MONTREAL, Quebec - Montreal Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey announced today that the Club has traded forward Corey Locke to the Minnesota Wild in return for defenceman Shawn Belle.

Locke, 24, leaves Hamilton as the Bulldogs’ all-time leader in goals (85), assists (144) and points (229) after playing in 313 regular season contests with the Club, the fourth most in franchise history. Last season, the 5′9″, 171-pound forward led Hamilton in goals (30), assists (42) and points (72), all career-high totals, and was selected to represent the Bulldogs at the 2008 RBK American Hockey League All-Star Classic in Binghamton, New York. The Newmarket, Ontario native also made his National Hockey League debut in 2007-2008. On January 8, 2008, Locke, who was selected by Montreal in the fourth round, 113th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, was in the line-up for the Canadiens 4-3 overtime victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at Bell Centre.

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MONTREAL - Josh Gorges, who played his way into a starting role on the Montreal defence last season, signed a US$3.3 million, three-year contract with the Canadiens on Wednesday.

Gorges, 23, played a career-high 62 games after being a healthy scratch for most games early in the season. He played in the club’s final 52 regular-season games and all 12 playoff contests.

“Josh established himself as a key member of our defensive squad last season,” general manager Bob Gainey said in a statement. “His reliability and solid play made him one of our most improved players.”

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MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens have re-signed goaltender Jaroslav Halak to a US$1.55-million, two-year contract.

The backup to Carey Price will earn $750,000 next season and $800,000 in 2009-10.

“Jaroslav has proven to be a quality NHL goaltender,” Canadiens GM Bob Gainey said in a statement. “He played very well for us when called upon over the past two seasons. He is young competitor with great skills and an excellent work ethic.”

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MONTREAL, Quebec - Montreal Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey announced today the signing of free agent forward Ryan Flinn to a one-year, two-way American Hockey League / National Hockey League contract for the 2008-2009 season. As per club policy, financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Flinn, 28, is a seven-season NHL, AHL and ECHL veteran. In 2007-2008, the Halifax, Nova Scotia native notched one point (one assist), 82 penalty minutes and a -1 rating in 24 games with Springfield before being loaned by the Falcons’ NHL affiliate, the Edmonton Oilers, to Hershey on January 23rd. In 17 games with the Bears, Flinn produced three points (three goals), 53 penalty minutes and a +2 rating.

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MONTREAL, Quebec - Montreal Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey announced today the signing of free agent defenceman Alex Henry to a one-year, two-way American Hockey League / National Hockey League contract for the 2008-2009 season. The Club also announced the signing of goaltender Cedrick Desjardins to a two-year, two-way AHL / NHL contract for the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 seasons. As per club policy, financial terms of the agreements were not disclosed.

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MONTREAL, Quebec - Montreal Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey today announced the acquisition of defenceman Greg Pateryn along with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ second round pick in 2010 in return for forward Mikhail Grabovski.

Pateryn, 18, was selected by Toronto in the fifth round, 128th overall, in the 2008 National Hockey League Entry Draft. In 2007-2008, his first season in the United States Hockey League, the 6′2″, 212-pound defenceman led all Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets defencemen with 27 points (3 goals, 24 assists) and finished first on the team with 145 penalty minutes in 60 games. The native of Royal Oak, Michigan native was also named to the Eastern Division Team in the USHL Prospects / All-Star Game and received USHL Defensive Player of The Week honours in March.

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MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens have signed veteran tough guy Georges Laraque to a US$4.5-million, three-year contract and also added some depth in goal with Marc Denis.

The six-foot-three, 243-pound Laraque returns home to Montreal, joining a team that hasn’t had a true heavyweight in a few years.

“A 10-year veteran, Georges is the kind of player who made his mark in the NHL,” Habs GM Bob Gainey said in a statement. “With his physical play and determination, we are convinced that he will add valuable energy to our group of players.”

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OTTAWA (AP) -Of all the trades completed at the NHL draft on Friday, 12 involving first-round selections, there was one blossoming deal that caught everyone’s attention.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin could be on the move, and his destination might be Montreal.

The Maple Leafs give the archrival Canadiens permission to negotiate a contract with Sundin, who can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. That’s the deadline the Canadiens have to lure the Maple Leafs’ career goal leader before he can negotiate with any other team.

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