Canadiens Acquire Mathieu Biron from San Jose for Patrick Traverse

[Thrillhouse]

MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens announced today the acquisition of defenseman Mathieu Biron from the San Jose Sharks, in return for defenseman Patrick Traverse.

Biron, 26, has played six full seasons in the National Hockey League with the New York Islanders (1999 to 2001), the Tampa Bay Lightning (2001-02), the Florida Panthers (2002-04) and the Washington Capitals (2005-06). In 253 career regular season games, the 6'6'', 230-pound defenseman scored 12 goals and added 32 assists for a total of 44 points, with 177 penalty minutes.

Biron, a native of Lac St-Charles, Quebec, was a Los Angeles Kings 1st round pick (21st overall) in 1998. This season, he was playing for the Worcester Sharks, the San Jose Sharks farm team in the AHL, after signing with San Jose as a free agent on August 9, 2006. In 24 games with Worcester, Biron held 4th place in team scoring with 3 goals and 15 assists (3-15-18). He totaled 42 penalty minutes and posted a +7 plus/minus rating.

Acquired through waivers from San Jose on September 28, 2006, Traverse, 32, collected 1 goal and 4 assists (1-4-5) in 26 games with the Hamilton Bulldogs this season. He showed a +2 plus/minus rating and totaled 10 penalty minutes.

Mathieu Biron will report to the Hamilton Bulldogs today.

[Isles4life]

Biron used to be a decent prospect. Things have changed. Still, the Habs didn't give up much of anything in Traverse.

[bengino]

can't say that i am dissapointed, i didn't much care for Patrick Traverse either way... seems like an AHL move.

[Blouin]

Biron sure has traveled around the NHL. not really much to this trade

[rondo]

There might be something to this. Souray, Komasceriak, and Rivet are all free agents after this season. There is no way the habs can sign all three and speculation is Souray is the odd man out being the other two guys were both drafted by Montreal.

[TNG]

Originally Posted by rondo

There might be something to this. Souray, Komasceriak, and Rivet are all free agents after this season. There is no way the habs can sign all three and speculation is Souray is the odd man out being the other two guys were both drafted by Montreal.

Biron is a UFA at the end of the season. So what does this has to do with Souray, Rivet & Komisarek ( I'm guessing he's the Komasceriak)?
By the way Komisarek is a RFA and I'ld take Souray over Rivet.

[eader]

Not that it matters, but Markov is also a free agent

[duda.radek]

It looks like an AHL move

[mongoose]

glad to traverse gone away he is awful.

[rondo]

Originally Posted by TNG

Biron is a UFA at the end of the season. So what does this has to do with Souray, Rivet & Komisarek ( I'm guessing he's the Komasceriak)?
By the way Komisarek is a RFA and I'ld take Souray over Rivet.

Well so would everybody else, problem is they can't afford to sign all three, which is my point in the first place. Biron would be insurance for injuries this season..

[Unforgiven]

Well so would everybody else, problem is they can't afford to sign all three, which is my point in the first place. Biron would be insurance for injuries this season..

Why wouldn't they be able to sign all three? I don't think the three of them are going to be looking for bigger contracts. The only member of their defense that they might lose is Markov, who will probably want a bigger contract since he has shown he can handle a much bigger work load the past two seasons.