Montreal Canadiens sign Jeff Halpern
The Montreal Canadiens have announced that they have signed forward Jeff Halpern to a one-year contract worth $600,000. Halpern spent last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Los Angeles Kings. He was allowed to walk as an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Halpern wasn't drafted and instead signed with the Washington Capitals out of college hockey. He joined the Capitals for the 1999-2000 season and remained with the club for six years, having his best campaign in 2003-04 when he registered 19 goals and 46 assists. Halpern joined the Dallas Stars for the beginning of the 2006-07 season and would remain with the club until the following year’s trade deadline when he was moved to the Lightning. Halpern stayed with Tampa until he was traded to the Kings last season.
Halpern will bring more defensive responsibility to the Canadiens who chose not to re-sign third line centre Dominic Moore over the off-season. Therefore, Halpern is expected to slot in with the club’s third unit, likely surrounded by Travis Moen and Maxim Lapierre.
Halpern is no longer able to contribute 35-40 points at the offensive end and instead will be a defensive specialist. Expect the 34-year-old to line up against the other team’s top units, while also logging major penalty kill minutes. If Halpern is able to do enough to remain in the line-up throughout the course of the 2010-11 season the signing could end up being a steal. However, with youngsters battling for roster spots, Halpern will have to work hard to ensure he does not become a healthy scratch.
If he is unable to once again become a regular National Hockey League player this could be Halpern’s last season.
Last year split between Tampa and Los Angeles Halpern managed nine goals and 10 assists for 19 points in 71 games.
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