After losing Torey Krug to free agency, the Boston Bruins have locked down a key part of their blue line.
The team announced Saturday that it has agreed to a four-year, $14.75-million pact with restricted free-agent defenceman Matt Grzelcyk. The deal carries an annual NHL cap hit of $3,687,500.
The 26-year-old Grzelcyk put up 21 points in 68 games with the Bruins in 2019-20, his third season in Boston. Over the course of his time with the club, the five-foot-nine, 174-pound defender has collected 54 points in 197 games, as well as 10 points in 43 post-season appearances.
The native of Charlestown, Mass., was originally selected by the Bruins in the third round (85th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft.
Grzelcyk provides some stability for the Bruins’ D-corps, which suffered a big blow on the opening day of free agency when the St. Louis Blues found an early replacement for Alex Pietrangelo and signed Krug to a seven-year contract worth $45.5 million. The club’s backend could look even more different next season depending on what happens with captain and free-agent defenceman Zdeno Chara as the 43-year-old’s future remains up in the air.
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