ST. LOUIS, July 5 -- The St. Louis Blues Thursday signed unrestricted free agent defenseman Rich Pilon to a one-year contract.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Pilon, 33, gives one of the best defenses in the league a physical presence. He had just two goals and nine assists in 69 games for the New York Rangers last season but was second on the team with 175 penalty minutes.
"Rich Pilon will provide us a physical and aggressive presence in front of the net," Blues general manager Larry Pleau said. "Rich plays the game hard and has the reputation of being a consummate teammate."
A 13-year veteran, Pilon joins a defensive corps that includes All-Stars Chris Pronger and Al MacInnis, who helped St. Louis rank fourth in the Western Conference with 205 goals allowed last season.
The 6-2, 215-pound Pilon has eight goals, 67 assists and 1,736 penalty minutes in 623 NHL games with the Rangers and New York Islanders. The Rangers claimed him off waivers from the Islanders on Dec. 1, 1999.
