The Nashville Predators signed defenseman Anton Volchenkov to a one-year contract worth $1 million, the team announced Monday.
The New Jersey Devils placed Volchenkov on unconditional waivers on June 30 for the purpose of using a compliance buyout on his contract, which had two years left at $4.25 million per season.
"Anton provides a strong veteran presence that will complement our young, talented defensive corps nicely," Predators general manager David Poile said in a statement. "He is a physical, left-handed shooting defenseman who can match up with top-line forwards and effectively kill penalties."
Volchenkov, 32, had eight assists and 20 penalty minutes in 56 games for the Devils in 2013-14, his fourth season in New Jersey. In 650 games for the Devils and Ottawa Senators, the hard-hitting defenseman has 19 goals, 126 points and 424 penalty minutes. He skated with Nashville Predators forwards Matt Cullen and Mike Fisher as a member of the Senators earlier in his career.
Since 2005-06, Volchenkov ranks second in blocked shots (1,395) and 10th in hits (1,313) among NHL defensemen. In 85 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the native of Moscow, Russia, has four goals, 17 points and 58 penalty minutes.
Volchenkov was selected in the first round (No. 21) by the Senators in the 2000 NHL Draft. He is a two-time Olympian, representing Russia in 2006 and 2010.
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