Steve Montador (born December 21, 1979 in Vancouver, British Columbia) is a professional ice hockey defenceman for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League.

[edit] Playing career

Undrafted, Montador played in the Ontario Hockey League with the North Bay Centennials, Erie Otters and the Peterborough Petes. Montador was signed by the Calgary Flames as a free agent and spent time playing for the Saint John Flames out of the American Hockey League. Montador made his Calgary debut during the 2001–02 NHL season playing 11 games and scoring a goal and two assists for three points. Over the next two season, Montador played 76 more regular season games for Calgary and played 20 games in the 2003–04 NHL Playoffs which saw Calgary reach the Stanley Cup finals only to lose to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Montador was one of many NHL players to play in Europe, playing for French outfit Mulhouse. Early in the 2005–06 season on December 2, 2005, Montador was traded by the Flames along with Dustin Johner to the Florida Panthers for Kristian Huselius.

In the 2008–09 season, Montador was signed as a free agent to a one-year deal by the Anaheim Ducks on July 11, 2008.^[1]

On March 4, 2009, Montador was traded by the Ducks to the Boston Bruins for Petteri Nokelainen.^[2]

On July 1, 2009, Montador signed a 2 year, $3.1M free agent deal with the Buffalo Sabres.

Noted for his gritty defensive style, Montador's best season came in 2007-08, when he had career bests with eight goals and 23 points in 73 games with Florida. Undrafted after completing his Canadian junior career, he broke into the NHL with Calgary during the 2001-02 season

[edit] Awards and achievements

• 2000–01 AHL Calder Cup (Saint John Flames)

[edit] Career statistics

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Steve Montador's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database