Veteran UFA defenseman returns to Montreal

Is GM Marc Bergevin just trying to tap into some nostalgia? Or is this a legit move for the better?

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 6 years ago
Veteran UFA defenseman returns to Montreal
Keystone Press

The Montreal Canadiens have announced that they’ve signed veteran free-agent defenseman Mark Streit to a one year contract worth $700,000.

The 39 year-old veteran is fresh off a Stanley Cup championship for his bit part with the Pittsburgh Penguins after spending the last four seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers. Of course, Streit got his NHL start with the Canadiens way back in 2005. Habs fans will certainly remember his outstanding career season in 2007-08 where he put up 13 goals in 62 points in 81 games. He would leave the following offseason for the New York Islanders, were he’d continue to be a 45+ point defenseman.

Now, in the twilight of his career, Streit is little more than a depth defender who can provide some offensive spark on the power play. Might he be a stop-gap plan to replace the departed Andrei Markov? Or will he continue to ride the pine more often than he sees action, as was the case in Pittsburgh?