"Looking to add veteran presence, in part to fill the leadership role vacated when Glen Murray's contract was bought out in July, the Bruins yesterday signed seasoned NHL forward Stephane Yelle to a one-year, free agent deal worth $750,000.

A center/wing, Yelle, 34, is effective at faceoffs and also has been a key component on penalty-killing squads during his dozen seasons with Colorado and Calgary. He is not as slick or clever on offense as Glen Metropolit, but he has a more tenacious game and much of the overall versatility that Metropolit showed here last season before signing with the Flyers as an unrestricted free agent in July.

"There is a defensive bent to his game," noted Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli, who, in a prior work life as a player agent, was a member of the Larry Kelly-led firm in Ottawa that still represents Yelle. "He gives us some depth, both center and wing, up and down our lineup."

Yelle, 6 feet 2 inches and 182 pounds, won the Cup in 2001 with Colorado, the Avalanche club that featured former Boston captain Ray Bourque lifting the Cup upon completing his final NHL game. Yelle also shared roster time in Calgary with Chuck Kobasew and Andrew Ference, both of whom will be teammates in the Hub of Hockey.

"I've followed the Bruins closely because of [Ference and Kobasew]," said Yelle, in Boston yesterday doing some house hunting with his wife. "It's a great town, a team with a lot of history, and I think it's going to be great to play here."

According to Chiarelli, the Bruins attempted to deal for Yelle during the 2007-08 regular season.

"Stephane's a guy who has been on our radar screen here for a while," said Chiarelli. "He can kill penalties for us, win some faceoffs, and with [Murray] gone, he can add to the leadership of the team. He helps us up and down our lineup, both at center and wing. We think he's very compatible with the way we want our team to play."

Nicknamed "Sandbox" because of his gritty, fearless style, Yelle also was an alternate captain in Calgary, where he showed a penchant, especially on the penalty kill, for blocking shots. He got off to a slow start last season in Calgary, where taskmaster Mike Keenan was his boss, then picked up his game as the season progressed, playing much more on the wing (left and right) than at center.

Now the question becomes, how does he fit into coach Claude Julien's game plan? With his age and skill set, Yelle projects as a third- or fourth-line component. A lefthanded shot, he is likely to be one of the club's top four penalty killers, which could put some heat on the likes of veteran P.J. Axelsson. Yelle also will compete for ice time with youngsters such as Petteri Nokelainen, Vladimir Sobotka, and David Krejci."