The Canadiens acquired defenceman Mark Mitera on Friday from the Ducks in exchange for Gatineau-born blueliner Mathieu Carle. In addition, defenceman Frederic St. Denis was re-signed earlier in the day to a one-year, two-way deal. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Carle played 68 games in Hamilton last season, collecting 11 goals and 18 assists along with a +19 differential. A second round pick in 2006, he has played 222 games with the Bulldogs, collecting up 30 goals and 67 assists over four seasons. He also has 14 points in 26 AHL playoff games. Carle got his first taste of the big league in 2009-10, when he dressed for three games with the Canadiens. He went pointless in those contests, finishing with a plus-1 differential and four penalty minutes.
The newly acquired Mitera registered 22 points in 71 games with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch last season. The 6-foot-3, 213-pound Michigan native was originally selected by Anaheim in 19th overall in 2006, one spot of Montreal’s selection that year, David Fischer. He has yet to play an NHL contest. He has one year remaining on his entry level deal where he makes $850,000 with an additional $425,000 in bonuses. This means he would be the most expensive callup in Montreal’s organization. Unlike Carle, Mitera has one more year of waiver exemption left.
The 25-year old St. Denis has played 142 games with the Bulldogs, putting up 42 points between 2008 and 2011. The Greenfield Park native was signed by the Canadiens last year and quickly earned the nickname ‘Steady Freddy’ for his strong defensive efforts.
Louis Moustakas is an editor at HabsWorld.net and works for the Coaching Association of Canada in Ottawa. He can be reached at l.moustakas@habsworld.net.