Steve Montador and his family have fond memories of HSBC Arena. The first time the defenseman

skated in the NHL was at the foot of Washington Street, when his Calgary Flames visited the

Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 23, 2001.

Montador didn't waste time establishing a stat line. He got in a fight with Denis Hamel in the

first period and assisted on a goal in the third. Fans can expect his next fight and point to

come in the same place, this time as a member of the Sabres.

Free agency opened Wednesday, and the Sabres signed the 29-year-old Montador to a two-year,

$3.1 million contract. The defenseman will take the roster spot of Jaroslav Spacek, the team's

top-scoring blue-liner who signed a lucrative deal with the Montreal Canadiens.

"If I can contribute offensively, that's great. If I can add some grittiness, that's something

I'm comfortable with, too," Montador said by phone. "I feel there's a few areas I can

contribute, and those are just a couple of them."

Montador was the only Buffalo signing, but he was far from the only one in the league. As

usual, big dollars soared into players' pockets. There were 49 deals accounting for more than

$460 million.

The largest contract went to the most recognizable name. Star winger Marian Hossa moved from

Detroit to Chicago, signing a remarkable 12-year deal worth $62.8 million. The money is front-

loaded for the 30-year-old, with $59.3 million to be paid over the first eight years.

Several teams have been handcuffed in recent summers with long-term deals they are now eager

to shed, but some can't resist the allure of establishing a lower salary cap number by adding

years at the end. Though Hossa will make an average of $7.41 million the next eight seasons,

his annual cap hit will be $5.2 million for the life of the deal.

"As much as people talk in terms of not getting caught in that [long-term dilemma] again,

maybe not everyone's been caught in that," Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier said. "What

you're going to see is there will be big-market clubs that will, in fact, burn money. And by

burning money I mean buy out contracts or send the player to the minors in some cases, and

deal with it that way."

Teams can buy out the remaining years of a contract for two-thirds the price, and players in

the minors don't count against the cap. It's a way of mortgaging the future to get rich now.

It's not the Sabres' way.

"Burning money is not an option, and it's not one I would want to be a part of, either,"

Regier said.

Montador was a prime option for Regier. The GM knew he would not meet the asking price for

Spacek, who signed a three-year deal for $11.5 million. So Regier and coach Lindy Ruff called

Montador immediately after the marketplace opened at noon.

The Vancouver native who grew up near Toronto started last season in Anaheim before heading to

Boston at the trade deadline. He totaled four goals, 17 assists, a plus-17 rating and 143

penalty minutes in 78 games. He also added a goal, two assists and 18 penalty minutes in 11

playoff games.

"We need to get more "compete' with our team," Regier said. "Just the grittiness and the

toughness that he brings and the character that he brings is a good ingredient to have in that

room.

"I think his teammates will appreciate him."

Montador is a 6-foot, 211-pounder who isn't afraid to fight and battle, two things the Sabres

have lacked.

"I think they've always been consistent with that, but it doesn't ever hurt to add more," said

Montador, who has 68 points and 604 penalty minutes in 368 games with Calgary, Florida,

Anaheim and Boston.

The Sabres are hoping Chris Butler can replace the offense supplied by Spacek, part of a

Montreal shopping binge. The Canadiens also signed big-ticket forwards Mike Cammalleri (five

years, $30 million), Brian Gionta (five years, $25 million) and defenseman Hal Gill (two

years, $4.5 million) one day after trading for center Scott Gomez.

Gomez's former team, the New York Rangers, signed forward Marian Gaborik to a five-year deal

worth $37.5 million.

Like the Canadiens, the Toronto Maple Leafs were another member of the Northeast Division

eager to retool. General Manager Brian Burke believes in physical play, and it was evident

Wednesday. He signed hard-hitting defenseman Mike Komisarek for five years and $22.5 million,

picked up enforcer Colton Orr for four years and $4 million, and traded blue-liner Pavel

Kubina and his $5 million salary to Atlanta for agitating defenseman Garnet Exelby.

Goaltenders were a movable commodity as six found new homes. The biggest swap came in

Edmonton, which signed Nikolai Khabibulin after losing Dwayne Roloson to the New York

Islanders. Former Sabres netminder Martin Biron was still searching for a job.

Though the market didn't open till noon, the Vancouver Canucks got their pocketbooks out

early. They retained twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin with identical five year, $30.5 million

contracts.

The first day of the NHL free agent frenzy is over, but the time to make moves is not.

"This is something that is a process," Regier said, "and will continue for a few weeks."