The Boston Bruins made their first
significant signing of their off-season on Tuesday, re-upping forward Chuck
Kobasew to a three-year, $7 million contract extension.
The deal pays Kobasew $2 million for
next season and $2.5 million per season for the following two, breaking down
against the Bruins cap as $2.33 million per season.
Kobasew had his best season to date
in 2007-08, with 22 goals and 39 points in 73 games with the Bruins.
If there’s a knock against him it’s
a tendency toward injury. He’s an energetic forward and tries to play a physical
style which has been the result of his recent injuries. He suffered two
concussions last season which sidelined him for a considerable period of time,
and he missed the last seven games of this season and the playoffs with a
fractured tibia.
Still, he’s entering his playing
prime now and has the tools to be a very good second line winger or as a third
line energy forward. His performance this season obviously impressed Bruins
management enough to commit to him for three seasons at an affordable salary.
General manager Peter Chiarelli will
now focus his attention on re-signing RFAs Dennis Wideman and Mark Stuart and
UFAs Glen Metropolit and Aaron Ward.
Aaron Ward helps make the d for Boston better, they have Chara but they need to keep Ward. FOr his experience in the post season and he will show Boston fans why during the season.
He is still popular in Detroit and Carolina for a reason. He does his job.
I'm glad that the B's got a deal done with Chucky! He was great last season and was a big part of the turn around by the Bruins. Signing Wideman and Stuart are MUSTS in my opinion. Wideman is turning into a top D man and Stuart is a young, physical guy with upside....if only he could handle the puck! Ward probably won't be back, but with the depth the Bruins have (Hunwick and Lashoff) in Providence I think they can let him go.
I think they need to bring Ward back. He was one of the toughest guys on the ice consistently last year, and has the experience necessary to help the kids learn the game. Lashoff, Stuart and Hunwick may be getting ready, but I would rather ease them in then lean on one of them to fill the #3 defenseman role...especially Stuart, who is high on the B's list, but looked lost out there at times in the first round. Also, this resigning of Kobasew is a great deal, 2 million for over 20 goals is a great move by Chiarelli. Hopefully Chuck recovers from his broken leg, and continues to put up numbers.
DrDot there is no way the Bears let Ward walk away to another team.
Chiarelli keeps him in Boston to show the youunger Dmen the NHL game when they make the move to the Boston roster full time.
Chara was definitely their top defenseman, really stepped up his play and looked better than he ever did as an Islander or Senator. But Ward was, unsurprisingly, their best shot blocker all season. He was the Rangers' best before their cute (read: stupid) little trade. If for no other reason than taking the load off their goaltenders. Which is another interesting situation. Can you say logjam?
The Bruins definitely need to ink Wideman and Stuart, and they ought to seriously consider resigning Ward. But with the goaltending overflow, who gets the cut? Thomas played all-star, stand-on-your-head (sometimes literally) hockey all season. Alex Auld looked pretty good in black and gold, too. Tuukka Rask is waiting in Providence, and during injury season looked ready to make the jump. And Manny Fernandez is still under contract (though it might have only been one year, I can't remember). Do they stick with what works, keep Rask in the minors another year and go with Thomas/Auld, trade/cut Fernandez; or do they trade one of the three current goalies for offensive support?
Somewhere in between, Chiarelli's going to have to sign Metropolit too.
Aaron Ward was not even close to being the Rangers best D-man. He was always jumping up and getting caught out of position. He must have had 10 pucks go in off his leg or skate in the 50 games he played (not as if that is his fault, though).
The guy just didnt play a "tough" game that you guys are refering to, and he really wasnt very steady.
Messier94: he wasn't the Rangers' best defender because of all the other talent they have on defense. He was definitely their best shot-blocker though. Taken into account the Law of Averages, some of those blocked shots deflect into the net.
For some reason, he played a bigger game in Boston. Julien's system was a nice fit with his skill set.
I'm Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector, Foxsports.com 's "Prince of Pucks".,which is based on the fact I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I couldn't think of a better byline. I've been an NHL hockey commentator since 1998 on my website, Spector's Hockey, and I'm a contributing writer for Foxsports.com , The Hockey News and Eishockey News. I'm also a regular on The Faceoff Hockey Show and a frequent guest on "The Late Crew" on The Team 1200 Ottawa.
