Free agent forward Ted Dowling has signed with Colorado, team president Steve Govett announced today.

Dowling was the ninth-leading scorer in the National Lacrosse League last year, with 86 points (46 goals, 40 assists) for the Montreal Express.

Although he had already qualified for unrestricted free agency, the Express' suspension of operations a month ago put Dowling in a class by himself -- if a team signed him before the dispersal draft, scheduled for Saturday morning, it would lose its first-round pick in that draft.

As a result, Colorado forfeits the eighth-overall pick in the allocation of other Express players.

Govett doesn't seem to mind, however.

"Ted had the opportunity to play anywhere in the National Lacrosse League, including the Vancouver Ravens, which is closest to his new hometown of Victoria, BC," Govett said. "His decision to come to Colorado is a testament to this team and its players as well as the fantastic new NLL organization in Denver."

"With the retirement of superstar Paul Gait, we were left with a huge gap in our roster and in our locker room, and we think that Ted goes a long way to filling that gap both on the floor and in the locker room. He is an extremely talented goal scorer and we are thrilled that his decision for a new home landed with us."

Dowling, arguably the best player ever to enter the NLL's unrestricted free agent market (most are blocked from free agency by use of the franchise player tag), now joins his seventh MILL/NLL franchise, following stops with the Detroit Turbos, Boston Blazers, Buffalo Bandits, Rochester Knighthawks, Albany Attack, and Montreal. Once he suits up for Colorado in a regular-season game, Dowling will reclaim the record for most teams played for in a career.

"This is par for the course," Dowling said from Victoria. "The way my career has gone, I always seem to wind up somewhere far from home."

In his ten-year career, Dowling has recorded 241 goals and 174 assists, for a total of 415 points.

"He's one of those natural goalscorers," said Terry Sanderson, Dowling's coach in Montreal. "He's a constant threat."

"If you're defending, you've got to know where Dowling is when he's on the floor," Sanderson said. "He'll replace some of the goals they lost with Paul Gait retiring. Teddy is a little different player from Paul but whenever Teddy has gone to a new team he has had an impact."

With Colorado, Dowling will be asked to take over Gait's role of lefthanded sniper, joining Gait's twin, Gary, at the head of the attack.

"I don't think anybody can replace Paul," Dowling said, "but I'll do my best to fill his shoes."

Dowling and Gary Gait have played together before, with the Victoria Shamrocks of the Western Lacrosse Association. However, they have never before been teammates in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League or National Lacrosse League.

The Colorado franchise, which relocated from Washington earlier this summer, has yet to announce a name, logo, or colors, but is expected to do so shortly.