OTTAWA -- The Ottawa Senators think Vaclav Varada's toughness is just what they need to have success in the playoffs.

		The Ottawa Senators addressed a major need by obtaining a tenacious, fearless forechecking forward like Vaclav Varada. He is a compliment to the skill level they already have. Varada is not an offensive threat, and at times he has battled to be consistent player with the Sabres over the past two seasons. The thing I like about many of the Sabres is that they are playoff-proven bunch, and Varada has played in 54 postseason games. When Buffalo went to the Cup finals in 1999, he played a pivotal role and scored five goals in 21 games. He also has returned to his spunky self, recently getting into a fight against Lightning goaltender John Grahame. Varada is a strong skater that will take a hit (or give one) to make a play, and he gets under the skin of every opponent.

The Senators acquired Varada and a fifth-round pick in this year's draft from the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday for Jakub Klepis.

"We would like to become a more aggressive team, and Varada was available,'' Senators general manager John Muckler said. "He makes us stronger. He's exactly what we need.''

Ottawa led the NHL through Monday with 86 points. The Senators, eliminated in the second round of last year's playoffs by Toronto, have made the postseason each of the last six seasons but have never gotten past that round.

"This is a piece that we felt would make us stronger in the areas that we had to become stronger in and give us an opportunity to maybe accomplish what we started out to accomplish, and that's win the Stanley Cup,'' Muckler said.

Varada, who spent parts of eight seasons in the Buffalo organization, has seven goals and four assists in 44 games this season. He missed 17 games because of a sprained right knee.

Now Varada is going from a bankrupt team at the bottom of the standings to one at the top.

"I'm excited, Ottawa's the best team in the league,'' Varada said. "I'm looking forward to playing in the playoffs. I know I have a big challenge ahead of me.

"I'm going to try to just be myself out there. I'll try to play my way, do my thing, and try to help the team win.''

Muckler also traded for Varada, chosen in the fourth round by San Jose in the 1994 draft, when Muckler was Buffalo's GM in 1995.

"I've always liked him as a hockey player,'' Muckler said. "I've always liked his grit. He's a tough player to play against. He can be miserable. He's not a fighter, but he's got great mental toughness and he'll do anything to win.

"He's someone who will go to battle, go to war. He can be awfully mean in his own way.''

The deal was made two days after the right wing fought Tampa Bay goalie John Grahame on Sunday during Buffalo's victory over the Lightning.

"Vaclav was a very important member of the Buffalo Sabres organization,'' general manager Darcy Regier said. "We appreciate all he has done for the team both on and off the ice and we wish him well in the future.''

In 376 career games, Varada has 46 goals and 98 assists. The Sabres were paying Varada $1.3 million this season and he will earn $1.5 million next season.

"The skill level on our hockey club -- in my opinion -- is very high,'' Muckler said. "Whether the grit was high enough or not, time will tell, but we just felt that we had to add some grit to our hockey club to make it a little bit stronger in those areas.''

Klepis was Ottawa's first-round pick, 16th overall, in last year's draft. He spent this season in the Czech Elite League.

"Jakub is a young forward who has size, strength and excellent play-making ability,'' Regier said.