The Sabres, who had no plans to re-sign pending unrestricted free agent Steve Montador, have traded the defenseman's rights to Chicago for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in the 2012 or 2013 entry drafts.
Montador spent the past two seasons with Buffalo. He was one of the Sabres' top defensemen during the first half of the 2010-11 season, but he struggled late. His tumble continued in the playoffs, when he was scratched for Game Seven of the first-round loss to Philadelphia.
He finished last season with five goals and 26 points in 73 games. The 31-year-old was plus-16.
The Blackhawks' draft pick was previously acquired from Florida in the Tomas Kopecky trade Monday. The pick is presently conditional to the Nashville Predators. If that pick is not available, Florida will transfer its own seventh-round selection in the 2013 draft.
The move allows Buffalo to recoup a draft pick. They sent their fourth-round selection in 2012 to the Islanders for the rights to defenseman Christian Ehrhoff.
---John Vogl
