Jaroslav Halak is officially a Montreal Canadiens goaltender.

The former Lewiston Maineiacs netminder, who was drafted in the ninth round by Montreal in 2003, inked a three-year, two-way deal with the Canadiens Thursday. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“He made a remarkable impression in his first season in North America,” Montreal general manager Bob Gainey said of Halak’s signing. “He has an excellent work ethic and could become an excellent goaltender in the years to come.”

Last year, Halak went 24-17-4 with the Maineiacs in the regular season and went 4-4 in the playoffs, including a sweep of Shawinigan during which Halak allowed just 1.74 goals per game and had a .944 save percentage.

The two-way deal means Halak can play in either the AHL or in the NHL, and will likely start in Hamilton of the AHL this season.