Coyotes sign D Hale

Jul 3, 2008 - 6:46 PM GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- The Phoenix Coyotes further bolstered their defense Thursday, signing veteran David Hale to a two-year contract.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

It was the third move made by the Coyotes since the start of free agency on Tuesday. They also signed defenseman Kurt Sauer to a four-year contract worth $7 million and inked left wing Todd Fedoruk to a three-year deal worth $3.1 million.

The Coyotes were in the market for help on defense after trading Keith Ballard and Nick Boynton to the Florida Panthers for center Olli Jokinen.

Hale, 27, played in 58 games for the Calgary Flames last season, recording two assists and 46 minutes in penalties.

Taken by the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the 2000 draft, Hale was traded to the Flames on February 27, 2007. The Colorado native has yet to score a goal in his NHL career despite playing in 215 games with the Devils and Flames.