Senators Sign Sergei Gonchar to a 3-year, $16.5M Deal

When you lose to a team in the playoffs, what is the best way to beat them the next season?  By stealing their players, of course.

Sergei Gonchar, an eight-time 50-point scoring defenseman, has called it quits in Pittsburgh and moved on to Ottawa.  Averaging $5.5 million a season, this could prove to be a good signing for Ottawa.  Even at a steep-price for a defenseman, Gonchar has proven time and again that he can still move the puck with the best of them, even at the age of 36.  His 39 assists last season gave him his ninth time of scoring 30 assists or more in a season. 

Gonchar also brings experience to the table.  He has been a part of a strong franchise in Pittsburgh for quite some time now, and was a member of the Penguins' 2009 championship season.

Ottawa needed to bring in a strong-skating defenseman.  Gonchar will prove useful down in the stretch late in the season.