BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Buffalo Sabres signed defenceman Nolan Pratt to a US$550,000, one-year deal on Thursday.

Pratt, a 10-year veteran, spent the past five years with Tampa Bay, and was part of the Lightning's Stanley Cup-winning team in 2004.

The addition helps bolster a banged-up Buffalo blue-line. Defenceman Dmitri Kalinin is out for another month after spraining his right knee against Carolina on Oct. 24. Defenceman Jaroslav Spacek has also missed the past five games because of a shoulder injury.

Pratt, 32, worked out for the Sabres last weekend when the team was in Tampa Bay to play the Lightning, and a deal appeared imminent.

In 537 career games with Hartford-Carolina, Colorado and Tampa Bay, Pratt has eight goals and 58 points. He was originally drafted in the fifth round of the 1993 draft by the Whalers.