"Now that's good news for a team that could use some.

Departing with their policy of not negotiating during the course of the hockey season, the Canadiens have signed their steadiest defenceman to a new six-year contract with a reported annual salary cap hit of $3.9 million.

Gorges, coming off knee surgery, signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract after contentious negotiations last summer. Had he not signed by July 1, Gorges would have become an unrestricted free agent.

Consensus opinion, supported by Gorges' agent, is the Canadiens could have signed him for less money had they offered a long-term contract last summer.

The team wanted to see how Gorges would rebound from his injury – a prudence that seems to have been lacking in negotiations with Andrei Markov.

Is $3.9 million a tad high for a defenceman who doesn't produce much offence?

For a comparable, consider the Leafs are paying Mike Komisarek $4.5 million per through 2013-'14."