Montreal Canadiens Sign Defensemen P.K. Subban and André Benoit
The Montreal Canadiens have inked two defensemen to contracts today. One more known in the name of PK Subban and the other, less known, being 25 year old André Benoit.
Subban, who had made good first impressions with fans and media alike since his inaugural stint at the Habs training camp this year as well as representing Canada at the IIHF World Juniors appears to be on the fast track to cracking the Montreal defensive core.
Formerly of the Hamilton Bulldogs, but recently returned from the Swedish Elite League, Benoit signed a two way contract with the Habs and one would assume he will get his chance to play with the Habs if he brings his maturity and experience to the 2009-10 training camp.
Please read on for both Canadiens' press releases.
Montreal Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey announced today the signing of defenseman P.K Subban to a three-year contract (2009-10 to 2011-12). As per club policy, financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. was selected in the second round, 43rd overall by the Canadiens in 2007.
In 2008-09, was tied for second among OHL defensemen with 76 points (14 goals, 62 assists) and posted the OHL’s fifth best plus/minus differential with a plus 47. Subban, who led the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Championship (98 points), was runner-up for the Max Kaminsky Award as OHL's Most Outstanding Defenseman (awarded to Ryan Ellis of the Windsor Spitfires). The six-foot, 202-pound defenseman also captained the Eastern Conference Team in his second consecutive OHL All-Star appearance.
During the 2009 playoffs, Subban, who turns 20 today, ranked fifth in the league among defensemen with 15 points in 17 games (3 goals, 12 assists), as the Bulls fell to the Brampton Battalion in the OHL Conference Finals.
Last January, the Toronto native won his second consecutive gold medal with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship, held in Ottawa. Subban led all skaters in the tournament with a plus-12 rating and was tied for first among defensemen with nine points in six contests (3 goals, 6 assists).
From 2005 to 2009, Subban recorded 191 points (42 goals, 149 assists), served 353 penalty minutes and posted a plus-79 rating in 234 regular-season games with the OHL’s Belleville Bulls. He also played in 56 playoff contests with Belleville, compiling 51 points (16 goals, 35 assists), 78 penalty minutes, and a plus-24 rating.
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The Montreal Canadiens announced today the signing of defenseman André Benoit to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2009-10 season. As per club policy, financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Benoit, who spent the last two seasons in Europe, played with Sodertalje SK of the Swedish Elite League in 2008-09. The 25-year-old was the team’s leading defenseman last season with 20 points in 54 games (4 goals, 16 assists), serving 34 penalty minutes.
From 2005 to 2007, the St-Albert, Ontario native played two seasons with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, scoring 57 points (17 goals, 40 assists) with 101 penalty minutes in 134 regular-season games. Benoit also won the Calder Cup with the Bulldogs in 2007, totaling 13 points in 22 playoff games (2 goals, 11 assists). Signed as a free agent by the Canadiens on January 9, 2006, Benoit participated in the Canadiens’ training camps in 2005-06 and in 2006-07.
Before joining the professional ranks, Benoit recorded 299 points (99 goals, 200 assists) in 324 regular season games with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers, from 2000 to 2005. He won the 2003 Memorial Cup with Kitchener and was named to the league’s First All-Star Team in 2004-05, leading all OHL defensemen with 77 points in 67 games (24 goals, 53 assists).
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