The Bruins have acquired defenseman Steve Montador via a trade with the Anaheim Ducks today in exchange for forward Petteri Nokelainen. This was a great deal by the Bruins organization and GM Peter Chiarelli in my opinion. Montador comes to the Bruins at a cheap price but brings a lot of what the high-end players out there were offering. Not to mention some much needed toughness to a team who has struggled at times this season at staying physically in games. Montador also is good friends with a few current Bruins via his Calgary Flames days (Andrew Ference, Chuck Kobasew, Marc Savard and Stephane Yelle). This is huge to me considering my one worry entering today was breaking up the "family".
During a conference call with the media today at 5PM Montador expressed his joy in joining the Black & Gold as he was waiting to catch a plane to Boston tonight (possibly being avaliable to play tomorrow night). One thing during this call that stuck out to me was when Montador was talking about playing the Bruins last week (6-0 Bruins win). He pointed out that during one point in the game that he challenged Lucic to a fight to bring his team some momentum. Any guy that will challenge Lucic for his team in a blowout is sure as hell welcomed here in Boston. So, Welcome to Beantown Steve!
"Boston, MA – Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today that the club has acquired defenseman Steve Montador from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for forward Petteri Nokelainen.
The 29-year-old Montador skated in 65 games this season for Anaheim, compiling four goals and a career-high 16 assists. The 6-foot, 211-pound Vancouver, BC, Canada native was signed as a free agent by the Ducks on July 11, 2008.
Before joining the Ducks, Montador played two-plus seasons for the Florida Panthers from 2005-2008 and three-plus seasons for the Calgary Flames from 2001-2005. A veteran of 355 career games played in the NHL, he has registered 18 goals and 49 assists. Montador has also appeared in 20 postseason contests- all during the 2003-2004 postseason -- and was a member of the Calgary Flames club that was defeated in the seventh game of the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2003-2004.
Montador will be reunited with former teammates and current Bruins Andrew Ference, Chuck Kobasew and Stephane Yelle, who all played together with the Calgary Flames. In July of 2007, Montador and Ference traveled on a trip to Tanzania to benefit the Right To Play charitable organization. They visited schools and orphanages while serving as inspirational Right To Play participants and role models for the children in Right To Play programs." -Bruins Official Press Release
