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.
In 33 NHL games this season, Nokelainen compiled a 0-3=3 line and has eight goals and seven assists in 105 career games. Nokelainen skated in 57 regular season games for Boston in 2007-2008 and tallied seven goals and three assists in addition to contributing 3-5=8 totals in eight regular season games for Providence.
Nokelainen, a Imatra, Finland native, was originally drafted by the
New York Islanders with the 16th overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He was acquired by the Bruins on September 11, 2007 in exchange for Ben Walter and a conditional 2009 draft pick.
