ANCHORAGE - Former Seawolf defenseman Chad Anderson, who tallied 49 points in 138 career games at Alaska Anchorage, was signed Wednesday by the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens.

Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey announced the inking of Anderson, a free-agent, to a one-year, two-way contract. Per club policy, financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The 26-year-old Anderson will likely play for the Hamilton Bulldogs, Montreal's American Hockey League affiliate.

The 6-foot-4, 217-pound blueliner spent the 2007-08 season with the AHL's Philadelphia Phantoms. In 55 regular-season games, he totaled 13 points (two goals, 11 assists), served 35 penalty minutes and finished second on the team with a plus-11 rating.

In four seasons (2003-2007) with the Seawolves, the Chisago City, Minn., compiled 16 goals, 33 assists, and 215 penalty minutes. During his senior season of 2006-07, Anderson led all UAA defensemen with an career-best 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists). He also finished second in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association with 96 penalty minutes and third on the team with 89 shots on goal.

Anderson, a three-time WCHA All-Academic selection who captained the Seawolves for 15 games during his senior season, is the second former UAA defenseman to sign with an NHL club this summer. In May, ex-Seawolf Luke Beaverson signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Florida Panthers, who drafted him in the ninth round of the 2004 NHL draft.

Anderson was one of six UAA skaters to see action in an AHL game since the end of the 2006-07 season, joining Beaverson (Rochester), Jay Beagle (Hershey), Justin Bourne (Bridgeport), Lee Green (Binghamton) and Charlie Kronschnabel (Portland).