Canadiens send Bourque to Anaheim for veteran defenceman Allen

MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens traded forward Rene Bourque to the Anaheim Ducks for defenceman Bryan Allen on Thursday.

It was a second trade for a veteran rearguard in two weeks for Montreal, which dealt forward Travis Moen to the Dallas Stars for defenceman Sergei Gonchar on Nov. 11.

Like the Gonchar deal, the Canadiens picked up a player whose contract expires at the end of this season for one with more than one season remaining on his deal. The 34-year-old Allen earns US$3.5 million this season while Bourque is signed through next season at a cap hit of $3.3 million.

Allen had one assist in six games for Anaheim. The Kingston, Ont. native missed 14 games with a lower body injury.

He was picked fourth overall by Vancouver in 1998. In 716 career regular season games with Vancouver, Florida, Carolina and Anaheim, he has 29 goals and 106 assists.

Bourque cleared waivers and was assigned to their AHL Hamilton Bulldogs on Nov. 11 after a sluggish start to the NHL season with two assists in 13 games.

He joined Montreal on Jan. 12, 2012 in a trade from the Calgary Flames.