Boston Bruins fans are awaiting decisions on Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci and whether David Pastrnak will sign an extension before he hits free agency next season. Until then, Don Sweeney has been signing depth pieces for the parent club and filling out the AHL Providence Bruins’ roster. On Monday, the team announced the signings of defenseman Jack Ahcan, forward Matt Filipe, and defenseman Ryan Mast.
Ahcan, who signed a one-year-deal, two-way deal for $750,000, was an undrafted signee out of St. Cloud State who turned pro in 2020-21. The 5’9”, 180-pound defenseman has yet to win a full-time job with the club, but with injuries to left-side defensemen Mike Reilly and Matt Grzelcyk, Ahcan might see an opportunity with Boston early in 2022-23. The 25-year-old Ahcan has played nine NHL games with Boston, scoring one goal with a minus-six rating.
Restricted free-agent Filipe signed a one-year, two-way deal for $787,500. The former University of Northeastern star played the last two seasons with the Bruins’ affiliate Providence Bruins and registered 7-10-17 in 59 games last season. The Newton, Massachusetts native is a 6’2”, 200 left-shot center who was a third-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2016 NHL Draft. The 24-year-old will participate in a training camp with Boston in September.
Mast was a sixth-round pick of the Bruins in 2021 and played two seasons for the Sarnia Sting in the Ontario Hockey League. Mast signed a three-year, entry-level deal for $2.55 million, an average annual value (AAV) of $850,000. The 19-year-old defenseman performed well in the recent Rookie Development Camp with Boston and will probably return to the OHL for another season. Mast had 31 points in 59 games with Sarnia last season.
The team now has two restricted free agents in Jack Studnicka and Pavel Zacha. Studnicka and the Bruins have not been able to come to a deal, and a trade is still a possibility. The former second-round pick had no goals and three assists in 15 games last season. The 23-year-old has just one goal in 37 games in his career. The Bruins will need center help in the near future, and Studnicka could be looked upon to get one more shot at making the NHL roster. Zacha was acquired on July 13 for Erik Haula and has elected to file for arbitration. The 25-year-old, former first-round, scored 15 goals and dished out 21 assists last season for New Jersey.
Still, a lot for the Bruins to decide on this off-season. The team might settle with Zacha before arbitration, but deals for Bergeron, Krejci, and potentially Pastrnak are still on the table.
