MONTREAL -- Richard Zednik, the Montreal Canadiens' only no-show at training camp, signed a two-year contract Wednesday.

Zednik, 26, will earn $1.7 million this season and $1.8 million in 2003-04.

"I didn't want to be out of camp for any longer,'' he said. "I missed camp three years ago in Washington and I know it's tougher when you miss camp.

"I didn't want to be the only one not in camp so after a few days I said: Let's get this deal done.''

David Schatia, Zednik's agent, said an impasse between the two sides was resolved when the Canadiens agreed to substantial bonus clauses, including one with a charitable aim.

Zednik will receive a $50,000 bonus if plays in only 10 games. He would then donate the money to the Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation, which would use it to buy tickets for underprivileged children, Schatia said.

"I wanted to do something for the community because they've been nice to me,'' Zednik said.

Martin Havlat of the Ottawa Senators and Scott Hartnell of the Nashville Predators have had similar donation clauses in their contracts.

"Richard wanted to play here and this is the way we resolved the situation,'' Schatia said.

Zednik, 26, earned $765,000 last season when he reached personal highs in goals (22), points (44) and games played (82) last season and led the club in shots on goal with 249.

The right wing missed the Canadiens' five-day training camp in Vail, Colo., that ended Tuesday.

Zednik scored four goals and added four assists in the first four playoff games of Montreal's first-round upset of Boston before he was knocked unconscious by an elbow from Bruins defenseman Kyle McLaren.

Zednik, a 10th-round draft pick by Washington in 1994, was acquired from the Capitals along with Jan Bulis and a first-round draft pick on March 13, 2001, for Trevor Linden, Dainius Zubrus and a second-round pick.