As expected, the Habs have indeed signed veteran defenceman Chris Wideman. He receives a one-year, one-way contract at the league minimum of $750,000.
Wideman has played in 181 career NHL games over parts of four NHL seasons but after splitting 2018-19 between three teams, he hasn’t seen any time at the top level since then. Following spending all of 2019-20 in the minors, Wideman decided to head overseas in the hopes of earning himself another NHL opportunity.
The decision was a wise one as the 31-year-old was the KHL’s leading scorer in points by a defenceman with nine goals and 32 assists in 59 with Torpedo. He also logged more than 21 minutes a night.
While it’s unrealistic to expect Wideman to step in and replace the offensive production that Shea Weber’s absence will cause, it’s a low-cost look for the Habs. If he can hold down a spot on the third paring behind Jeff Petry and David Savard, the deal could be a bit of a bargain. If he struggles, they can waive him, send him to Laval, and clear him from the cap entirely although they’ll have to pay him his full NHL salary if they do so.
Wideman’s Stats: