By Chris
Wow. GMDR actually did something productive today.
The Sabres have signed defenseman Steve Montador to a two-year contract, reportedly worth $3.1 million.
A right-handed shot, the 29-year-old is 6-0, 205 pounds and is coming off a great season with Anaheim and Boston. In 78 games, he had four goals and 21 points with a +17 rating.
His 143 penalty minutes would rank him first on last year’s Sabres team. Next in line was captain Craig Rivet with 125 PIM.
They each received five minutes in the sin bin for this tussle in February:
Montador’s averaged 13:45 a night in his career so he’ll figure to be a five or six in Buffalo. And that’s fine. The Sabres need some grit and toughness and Montador provides that. He’s like signing McKee but he’s more willing to drop the gloves and has a lot less mileage. Bottom line: A good signing.
Currently the Sabres have Rivet, Toni Lydman, Henrik Tallinder, Nathan Paetsch and Chris Butler under contract for the 2009-10 season.
The club qualified restricted free agent Andrej Sekera on Monday. They also have Mike Weber waiting in the wings and 2008 first round pick Tyler Myers on deck as well.
Expect one of those players to be traded in the near future (most likely Lydman or Tallinder). This also looks like the end of Jaroslav Spacek’s tenure as a Sabre. The unrestricted free agent has signed a three-year contract with Montreal worth $11.5 million. With Montador in and Spacek out, the Sabres got tougher, but not necessarily better.
It looks like Sekera will have to have an increased role. Balls.
Well according to hockeyfights.com, that was Rivet’s toughest fight all year (only 66% voted for Rivet as the winner), I guess Darcy was impressed.
lols out with your balls out!
Does this mean Peters is gone?