Ducks sign Steve Montador

From Dan Wood of the Orange County Register:

The Ducks plan to announce Friday the signing of veteran defenseman Steve Montador to a one-year contract worth approximately $800,000.

Montador, 28, notched a career-high eight goals and 15 assists, along with 73 penalty minutes and a plus-1 mark, in 73 games for the Florida Panthers last season.

The addition of Montador gives the Ducks seven established NHL defensemen and increases the likelihood of one being traded. The most likely candidate to be on the move is veteran Mathieu Schneider, whose $5.625 million salary-cap hit is probably unworkable given that the Ducks will pay standouts Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger a combined $19 million in 2008-09.

Read the entire post here.

Montador is a solid depth defenseman who does all the little things a team needs from someone in that role. He is a solid character pick up for the Ducks.