MONTREAL — The Canadiens have signed free agent Paul Mara to a one-year contract, adding size and experience to their group of defensemen.

The 29-year-old Mara had five goals and 16 assists in 76 games with the New York Rangers last season. He has 63 career goals for the Rangers, Tampa Bay, Phoenix and Boston.

Montreal general manager Bob Gainey has remade virtually the entire core of his team when he signed forwards Mike Cammalleri and Brian Gionta and defenseman Jaroslav Spacek to multiyear deals on July 1, one day after acquiring center Scott Gomez in a trade with the Rangers.

He did not re-sign any of the team's unrestricted free agents, including forwards Saku Koivu, Alex Kovalev and Alex Tanguay and defensemen Mike Komisarek and Mathieu Schneider.