Montreal Canadiens defenceman James Wisniewski should play against the Boston Bruins on Wednesday night. (Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)The Montreal Canadiens will receive a fifth round draft choice in next year's draft after the Columbus Blue Jackets announced a five-year deal for pending free agent James Wisniewski.
The deal is reportedly worth $33 million US. He earned $3.25 million last season.
"James is a player we identified very early on and we are thrilled to have him as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets," Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson said in a statement. "He brings offensive skill and grit to our blueline, character to our dressing room and will be a key contributor to our hockey club."
The 27-year-old defencemen impressed the Habs after coming over in late December from the New York Islanders in a trade, but with Andrei Markov recently signed to a three-year deal and Josh Gorges a restricted free agent, his return seemed questionable at best.
Montreal then traded his exclusive negotiation rights earlier this week.
Wisniewski scored seven goals and 23 assists with the Canadiens, and finished with a career high 10 goals, 41 assists and 51 points overall in 2010-11.
He will join his fifth team in just under three years, having also played for Anaheim and Chicago in his NHL career.
Of Wisniewski's 148 career points, 56 have come on the power play.
Columbus, meanwhile, is trying to head in the right direction after just one playoff berth in over a decade of play in the league. They added sniper Jeff Carter from Philadelphia last week, and have long been in need of a power-play quarterback.
"After they traded for my rights, and after they acquired Jeff Carter, I knew they were on the right path," Wisniewski said. "They have the green light to change things around. I felt like they really wanted me, and I want to play for an organization that wants me."
