Montreal - The Montreal Canadiens have made their first dip into the free agent market, signing defenseman Shane Hnidy to a three-year contract, worth $500,000 per season.
With an already stacked blueline, Hnidy figures to be an insurance move for a Montreal team who lack sufficient depth on the backend. He will likely spend time in the OTMHL, unless the team decides to carry 8 defenseman on the pro roster.
Currently, the defense corps is projected as:
Sheldon Souray - Colin White
Barrett Jackman - Mike Komisarek
Francois Beauchemin - Rhett Warrener
Stephane Robidas
Shane Hnidy
While Hnidy is the team