MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens bolstered their blue-line Tuesday by signing free agent Marc-Andre Bergeron to a one-year contract.

Bergeron played in 72 games with Minnesota last season, recording 14 goals and 18 assists (32 points), with seven goals coming on the power play.

Bergeron will fill a hole in Montreal's depleted defence corps after recent injuries to star blue-liner Andrei Markov and Ryan O'Byrne.

The native of Trois-Rivieres, Que., is entering his eighth NHL season having played with Edmonton, the New York Islanders, Anaheim and Minnesota.

Bergeron, who reached the Stanley Cup Final with Edmonton in 2005-06, has 160 points (62 goals, 98 assists), 161 penalty minutes in 339 NHL games.

He will report to the Hamilton Bulldogs Wednesday for conditioning purposes.