Mark Streit back with the Canadian

Photo: Justin K. Aller / Getty Images / Agence France-PResse
The swiss defender Mark Streit is coming off a first Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Even if it will be 40 years in December and that he has to win a first Stanley Cup, the swiss defender Mark Streit had no intention to hang up his skates. The offer of a season he has suggested the Montreal canadiens could not come at a better time.

“I am very happy and very proud to be once again, a Canadian, pointed out Streit on a conference call from Switzerland. It’s been a few weeks that I know that the Canadian is interested, and me, I was very excited ! “

“I thought back to my memories of my first visit and I was very happy to have the opportunity to sign a new contract with the Canadian. The supporters know how much I love Montreal and the Canadian. “

“I started the oldest in the NHL [in 27 years], so I am always passionate. I patina well, my game is still good. I want to practice this sport that I love for as long as possible. “

To do this, Streit is even willing to accept a less important role.

“All the players want to play all the games, he admitted. But in recent months, in Pittsburgh, I’ve learned, it’s incredible. All players of the team must accept a certain role. I have accepted this. I have worked very hard and when I had the opportunity to play, either in series or before, I gave everything. For me, now, the success of the team, this is the most important thing. […] I am very motivated. I want to play all the matches, but it is the coach who will make the decision. “

To find out more about his role with the club, he had a brief discussion with Marc Bergevin before the teleconference and must speak with Claude Julien over the next few days. For the moment, he doesn’t know any better.

Not that he doesn’t know if his arrival means the end of the era of Andrei Markov to Montreal. If he admits not to be the fact of the negotiations between the two clans, Streit has been recognized with the lips that the absence of the veteran Russian — that could greatly improve his time playing in numerical advantage — was part of his thinking.

“It has been a factor, but not the main. “

In addition, Streit would not confirm the figures advanced by the specialized site CapFriendly.com about his salary, which would be 700 000 US$, in addition to performance bonuses of up to 300 000 $.

“The money was not the most important for this contract. The most important thing was to find Montreal “, has beat the Swiss.

800th game and 100th goal in Montreal ?

Streit has played 784 encounters in a career in the circuit Bettman with the Habs, the New York Islanders, the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins, during which he scored 96 goals and added 338 notices of assistance. Last season, he scored 27 points, including six goals with the Flyers and the Penguins. He added two helpers in three playoff games, en route to its first Stanley Cup.

The Canadian was selected in the ninth round 262nd overall — in the draft of 2004. In Montreal, where he played from 2005-2006 to 2007-2008, he earned 109 points (25-84) in 205 games.

On the international scene, Streit represented Switzerland at the world junior Championships, world Championships, world Cup and winter olympic Games.