Canadiens Sign Defensemen Jamie Rivers and Mathieu Biron

**Thrillhouse** · #1 (**permalink**) 07-05-2007, 04:34 PM

MONTREAL – Canadiens GM Bob Gainey announced Thursday the signings of defenseman Mathieu Biron and free agent defenseman Jamie Rivers to one-year contracts for the 2007-08 season.

Biron, 27, was acquired from the San Jose Sharks in return for defenseman Patrick Traverse on December 15, 2006. In 2006-07, he led all Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) defensemen in scoring with 39 points in 77 games between Worcester and Hamilton (10 goals, 29 assists), and posted a plus-16 differential. Of his 39 points, 21 were registered with the Bulldogs (7-14-21).

The 6-foot-6, 230-lbs defenseman who hails from Lac St-Charles, has played 253 career games in the NHL with the NY Islanders, Tampa Bay, Florida and Washington. He recorded 44 points (12 goals, 22 assists) and added 177 penalty minutes.

A 32-year old defenseman from Ottawa, Jamie Rivers has appeared in 454 career NHL games, recording 17 goals and a total of 66 points. He also served 383 penalty minutes. In 2006-07, the 6-foot, 190 lb defenseman split the season between the St. Louis Blues, recording a goal and three assists, and the Peoria Riverman, the team’s AHL affiliate, where he earned four goals and 19 helpers.

Prior to being selected in third round (63rd overall) by the St-Louis Blues in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, Rivers was a member of the OHL's Sudbury Wolves where he recorded 257 points, including 56 goals, in 228 games.

In 1994 he was the recipient of the Max Kaminsky Award as the OHL Top Defenseman after notching 32 goals and a total of 121 points. The following season he won a gold medal as a member of the Canadian National Junior Team at the World Junior Championships, contributing three goals and three assists in the seven-game tournament. Over the course of his NHL career, Rivers has also played with the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings and Phoenix Coyotes.