Canadiens trade Rene Bourque to Ducks for Bryan Allen

The Montreal Canadiens have found Rene Bourque a proper home. 

Montreal traded the discarded forward to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday for defenseman Bryan Allen, the team announced.

Bourque cleared waivers last week, but continued to cost Montreal $2.5 million against their cap while playing for Hamilton of the American Hockey League. He was acquired by Montreal in 2012 as part of the Mike Cammalleri deal and scored just 21 goals in 141 games with the organization. His greatest contribution came in last season's playoff run, where he netted eight goals and 11 points in 17 games. 

As ESPN's Pierre LeBrun points out, Bourque's salary for the next two years is over $800,000 less per season than his actual cap hit, a wrinkle that could entice a budget team like Anaheim.

Allen is the second expiring contract the Canadiens have added on defense in as many weeks. He joins fellow veteran Sergei Gonchar, who came over in a trade with the Dallas Stars, adding another $3.5 million in expiring capital onto Montreal's payroll. 

The 15-year veteran was limited to just six games for the Ducks this season, hampered by a lower-body injury.

"It's always hard when you get traded," Allen told Sportsnet's Dan Murphy, "but I'm excited to go to a world class organization and a city that loves hockey."

With the departures of Bourque and Travis Moen, the Canadiens have cleared roughly $5 million in cap space for next season. 

As for the Ducks, they're intent on inserting Bourque into their lineup in short order:

Because if there's one thing the Ducks needed more of, it's depth forwards with size.