Karl Alzner is off to hockey's mecca.

The defenseman signed a five-year, $23.1-million deal with the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, and is more than ready to step into the NHL's most storied hockey market.

"(Montreal) is the franchise in the league; it's hockey. I don't think it really gets much better than that," he said Saturday, per Tarik El-Bashir of CSN Mid-Atlantic.

"It's competitive and (there's) management and ownership that's willing to do absolutely anything to win. That's kind of the dream, for a player that especially hasn't won a Cup yet. So I'm pretty excited about that."

Alzner was drafted fifth overall by the Washington Capitals in 2007, a team for whom he played his entire career up to this point, and with whom he was unable to win the Stanley Cup. The Canadiens, on the other hand, have 24 Cups to their credit, but none since 1993.

The steady defenseman hasn't missed a regular-season game in seven seasons, and will be counted upon to help keep the puck away from Carey Price.

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