MONTREAL – Montreal Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey announced today the acquisition of defenseman Mathieu Schneider from the Atlanta Thrashers, as well as a conditional draft pick from the Thrashers at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, in return for a second-round pick at the 2009 draft (Anaheim’s pick previously acquired by the Canadiens from Washington) and a Canadiens third-round pick at the 2010 draft.

"We were looking for a defenseman who could contribute offensively. Mathieu, an experienced player with a lot of offensive upside, will bring depth to our core group of defensemen and will be an asset on our powerplay," said Bob Gainey. 

Schneider, a 20-season veteran, made his NHL debut with the Canadiens in 1987-88. The 39-year-old, New York City native recorded 717 points (216 goals, 501 assists) and posted a plus-63 rating in 1,241 NHL regular-season games, with Montreal, the New York Islanders, Toronto, the New York Rangers, Los Angeles, Detroit, Anaheim and Atlanta.

Selected by the Canadiens in the third round, 44th overall at the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, Schneider won the Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1993. During his first stay with the Canadiens, Schneider registered 199 points (63 goals, 136 assists) in 360 regular-season games. The 5’11’’, 195-pound blueliner also played 109 career NHL playoff games, totaling 53 points (10 goals, 43 assists), including 21 points (5 goals, 16 assists) in 44 games with Montreal.

Schneider, second this season among Thrashers defensemen with 15 points (4 goals, 11 assists) in 44 games, won the gold medal with Team USA at the 1998 World Hockey Championship in Switzerland. The two-time NHL All-Star (1996, 2003) also represented the United States twice at the Olympic Games, in Nagano, Japan, in 1998 and in Turin, Italy, in 2006.