COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Goaltender Martin Prusek, 28-9-4 in his three seasons with the Ottawa Senators, signed a one-year contract Thursday with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Blue Jackets were seeking a quality goalie who could be a backup player while pushing starter Marc Denis.

The 29-year-old Prusek has a 2.23 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage in 48 career NHL games, all with the Senators. Prusek was 16-6-3 with three shutouts in the 2003-04 season before playing in his native Czech Republic during the lockout.

Prusek is the third defensive free agent signed by the Blue Jackets this week. Defensemen Adam Foote (Colorado) and Bryan Berard (Chicago) agreed to multiyear contracts.