BIRON FOR TRAVERSE
The Montreal Canadiens acquired defenseman Mathieu Biron from the San Jose Sharks for defenseman Patrick Traverse.
What does it give the Montreal Canadiens
Biron may have slightly more upside than Traverse, but he too will head to the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs and serve as a reserve defenseman within the Canadiens organization. Biron's best chance of returning to the NHL with the Habs is the loss of one or more among potential unrestricted free agents Sheldon Souray, Andrei Markov and Craig Rivet next summer. Don't hold your breath.
What does it give the San Jose Sharks
In his second stint with the Habs, Traverse never played in the NHL--after being claimed off waivers from San Jose. He was unhappy with the move, since he had settled in Worcester, San Jose's AHL affiliate. Therefore, he will once again serve as a depth defenseman for the Sharks, which was the main reason why he signed last summer in the first place.
Fantasy impact
