HabsWorld.net -- 

Fresh off a season high 8 hit performance, Maxim Lapierre has been dealt by
the Habs to Anaheim in exchange for prospect defenceman Brett Festerling and a
5th round pick in 2012.  This move comes shortly after the Habs added David
Desharnais to the active roster, recalling him earlier Friday afternoon. 
Festerling will be reporting to Hamilton.

Lapierre, a 2nd round pick of the Habs in 2003, has struggled so far this
season after a strong playoff effort last spring.  In 38 games, he has just
5 goals and 3 assists and had a team worse -7 plus/minus rating.  After a
his breakout season in 2008-09 (28 points), he has just 22 in 114 games since. 
However, his physical play was likely what attracted the Ducks to him, his 104
hits led the Habs by a significant margin.  Reports have surfaced that he
requested a trade earlier in the week.  Contract wise, he is making
$900,000 this season and will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights
this summer.

Festerling, undrafted, was signed by Anaheim in 2005.  The 6’1, 210
pound blueliner is in his 4th pro season, playing for several different farm
clubs (the Ducks were without a permanent AHL affiliate at this time) while
suiting up for a total of 83 games with Anaheim.  In the 42 games he played last season with them, he had 127 hits, good for 3rd on the team, interestingly enough right behind the Habs’ other acquisition this week, James Wisniewski. This year, he has played
1 game with the Ducks plus 32 more with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, where he has
picked up 3 goals and 9 assists, good for 5th in team scoring, tops among
defencemen.  Festerling captained the 2007 Memorial Cup Champion Vancouver
Giants.  Waiver wise, he must clear demotion waivers but is exempt from
re-entry.

The trade frees up a little bit of cap space, about $190,000 in total after
adding Desharnais to the roster as Lapierre’s replacement.  Although the
Habs are using LTIR, this is still beneficial with regards to having extra space
available for later on in the year.  Contract wise, the team remains with
48 players under contract, 2 under the limit of 50, before factoring in slide
options.