By Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff

Corvo, 34, is the puck-moving power-play specialist the Bruins needed once Tomas Kaberle signed a three-year, $12.75 million contract with the Hurricanes.

"He's someone we've talked about over the last little bit as we've progressed on some of these free agent signings," said GM Peter Chiarelli. "When you go past the free agency date in the first couple days, you look to possible trades if you're not satisfied with what you've accomplished in free agency. Joe became available as a result - not directly a result - when we did not reach terms with Tomas Kaberle. We felt very strongly about Joe as a player. We went after him and we acquired him."

In 82 games last season, Corvo had 11 goals and 29 assists while averaging 24:46 of ice time. Corvo had five goals and 18 assists on the power play. The right-shot defenseman is in the last year of a contract that pays him $2.25 million annually, according to www.capgeek.com.

Corvo was originally drafted by Los Angeles in the fourth round of the 1997 draft. In 2002, while playing for Manchester, the Kings' AHL affiliate, Corvo was arrested for assaulting a woman in a Boston restaurant. Corvo pleaded guilty in 2003 and was given a three-year suspended sentence.

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