Blues Add Kent Huskins

photo © 2010 Dan4th Nicholas | more info )
According to the team’s official site, the St. Louis Blues have signed defenseman Kent Huskins to a one-year, $1 million deal. The move adds additional depth at the blueline for the Blues and brings additional physicality to the defense.

Listed at 6’4″ and 210 pounds, size isn’t something this new acquisition is lacking.

Huskins broke into the league with the Anaheim Ducks, skating with them in the 2006-07, 2007-08 and the 2008-09 seasons. He then joined the San Jose Sharks and has skated with them in each of the previous two seasons.

Huskins is a defensive-minded defenseman. That may sound like a bit of an oxymoron, but the modern game has really focused on defenseman that have a mind for offense, which often leaves their defensive abilities up for debate. Through 274 career regular season games, Huskins has notched just 11 goals and 49 assists for a total of 60 points.

Last year he completed the season with a modest 10 points, but added a +8 plus/minus rating – his fourth consecutive season with a positive rating.

This move isn’t one that will bring fans to the stadium nor is it one that will get people clamoring on Twitter, but it, like the Brian Elliott move, does fill a void the team needed to fill. Huskins is a left-handed shot and the Blues were searching for a new lefty d-man.