Restricted free agent forward Daniel Briere has signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Montreal Canadiens.
"I am excited to have the opportunity to join the Montreal Canadiens. It is an organization that I have admired throughout my childhood and now I can't wait to don the Canadian jersey and contribute to the success of the team," said Briere.
Habs GM Marc Bergevin praised Briere in a statement Thursday.
"Daniel Briere brings a set of skills, experience and leadership and is a prominent addition to our group of forwards," said Bergevin. "Daniel showed great interest in continuing his career in Montreal and we are very pleased that he has committed to play with the Canadiens for the next two seasons."
The veteran - recently bought out by the Philadelphia Flyers -- was reportedly also being pursued by the New Jersey Devils and Nashville Predators.
Briere, who will turn 36 on October 6, spent six seasons with the Flyers, scoring a career best 34 goals in 2010-11 but slumped to just six goals and 10 assists in 34 games last season.
The small, crafty forward, who is officially listed at 5'10", earned considerable anger among Montreal fans when he appeared interested in signing with the Habs after leaving Buffalo. When he chose the Flyers instead, many in Montreal believed that he had feigned his interested in order to increase the bidding for his services.
Many local hockey fans reacted negatively to the signing, as they believe the team is already too small, and locked up with expensive contracts and that Briere is past his prime.
"If true (GM Marc) Bergevin is just an idiot," wrote one. "No. Please. NO," wrote another.
Indeed Briere - who has heard his share of lusty boos from Montreal crowds - found himself described as "public enemy number one," after he snubbed the Habs bid in 2007 for an eight-year $52 Philadelphia offer, which included a no movement clause. The next season Briere further irritated Montreal fans by helping the Flyers beat the Canadiens four-games-to-one in the second round of the playoffs.
In other Habs news, 19-year-old Swedish prospect Sebastian Collberg announced that he will spend the upcoming season in Sweden. Collberg had played several games at the end of the year for the Habs' farm team in Hamilton. He said he hopes to have a better season under a different coach in Sweden.
The Canadiens also announced Thursday that Stéphane Waite will become the team's new goaltending coach. Waite spent the last 10 years as goalie coach for the Chicago Blackhawks.
On Wednesday, the team surprised many by trading promising American forward Danny Kristo to the New York Rangers for prospect Christian Thomas, who is a small sniper and the son of former NHL speedster Steve Thomas.
Meanwhile, Toronto announced that they were buying out former Canadien Mikhail Grabovski who signed a five-year $27.5 million contract just last year. He scored just 16 points in 48 games last sason.
