Bruins Re-Sign Hunwick

[stremb]

BOSTON, MA – Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today that the club has signed defenseman Matt Hunwick to a multi-year contract extension.

Hunwick registered six goals, 21 assists and a plus/minus rating of +15 in 53 games during his rookie season in 2008-09. His 27 points placed him third amongst Bruins defensemen and he scored his first NHL goal on November 17, 2008 against the Maple Leafs. Hunwick played forward in six games last year and posted 1-1-2 totals while skating up front.

He played in one postseason game for the Bruins before being sidelined with a spleen injury that forced him to miss the rest of the playoffs.

The 24-year-old native of Warren, Michigan was originally drafted by the Bruins in the seventh round (224th overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut with the Bruins on November 10, 2007 against the Buffalo Sabres and recorded his first career point on December 10, 2007 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played in 13 games for Boston during the 2007-08 campaign and registered one assist.

Hunwick spent most of the 2007-2008 season with the Providence Bruins notching two goals and 21 assists in 55 regular season games. Prior to joining the Bruins, Hunwick played four years of collegiate hockey for the University of Michigan with 24-73-97 totals and 256 penalty minutes in 163 career games.

[bigjohnson]

solid

[Sugden Flu]

Glad to hear it! While not very big, this kid is a solid puck-moving defenseman with some great offensive instincts. I like his game. Now we just need to get Phil the Thrill inked! He's the final piece to the puzzle as far as I'm concerned.

[MattBurger]

I'm very happy that the B's locked Hunwick up. He ranked first among rookie defensmen in points last season while playing in only 53 games. He's also responsible in his own end, and he likes to throw his body around. Very nice signing.

[bigjohnson]

2 year deal, with a $1.450,000 cap hit.

[Chiefs for Life]

Will the Bruins be able to sign Kessel, he is looking for something worth around 3 million a year, witch at the moment the B's don't have the cap room for him.... Stephane Yelle an PJ Axelsson are both unsigned, but with the fact that they are getting up there in age resigning them is not a priorty, I noticed that Boston only has six D men signed, maybe a good utiliy seventh D man should be a priorty???.... If Phil the Thrill settles for around two million I would say the Bruins will be in great shape, even if they do lose a few caracter players.........

[blackngold]

Originally Posted by Chiefs for Life

Will the Bruins be able to sign Kessel, he is looking for something worth around 3 million a year, witch at the moment the B's don't have the cap room for him

That's the problem. If Phil was looking for around 3 mil a year, he would've been signed a LONG time ago. The problem is he's probably looking for upwards of 5 mil a year, which is why he is still not signed. The Bruins will hopefully not sign him for anymore than what David Krejci just signed for, which is 3.75-4 a year.
Kessel is a RFA, was tendered a qualifying offer, and didn't elect to go to arbitration, so the Bruins have all the bargaining power right now. Obviously there's not too much interest in him since there have been zero offer sheets thrown his way, so the B's will wait as long as they have to until Kessel accepts Krejci-like money.

Originally Posted by Chiefs for Life

I noticed that Boston only has six D men signed, maybe a good utiliy seventh D man should be a priorty???

Johnny Boychuk was re-signed a few weeks back. He should be a solid 6-7 dman. He won the AHL's version of the Norris trophy last season.

[Chiefs for Life]

Originally Posted by blackngold

That's the problem. If Phil was looking for around 3 mil a year, he would've been signed a LONG time ago. The problem is he's probably looking for upwards of 5 mil a year, which is why he is still not signed. The Bruins will hopefully not sign him for anymore than what David Krejci just signed for, which is 3.75-4 a year.
Kessel is a RFA, was tendered a qualifying offer, and didn't elect to go to arbitration, so the Bruins have all the bargaining power right now. Obviously there's not too much interest in him since there have been zero offer sheets thrown his way, so the B's will wait as long as they have to until Kessel accepts Krejci-like money.

In any retospect I think they burnt the bridge with Kessel, If any team would give Kessel a contract over 3.333 million dollars they are going to have to give up at least a first round pick an more. Yes Kessel is a great young prospect, but is he really worth around 5 million??, In any case Phil will have to take a one year deal, because of the fact that Boston is running out of cap room......

Johnny Boychuck, is a good Dman, but what happens if you lose more than one D'man. Another note is that you have to carry a seventh defencemen when you go out of town or even through the season, Is Boychuck good enough to come off the bench once every few games to play a sixth defensemen role, or is it better to send Boychuck to the AHL, an go out an find an older seventh defencemen to fill in here an there, An if there is an injury that a player will be out for an extensive time, then bring up Boychuck an the older Dman still stays as the seventh..... I just think that there ar alot of older D'men in the league that would settle for less than a million to play on a team that has a strong chance of going deep into the play-offs this season......

[blackngold]

Originally Posted by Chiefs for Life

Johnny Boychuck, is a good Dman, but what happens if you lose more than one D'man. Another note is that you have to carry a seventh defencemen when you go out of town or even through the season, Is Boychuck good enough to come off the bench once every few games to play a sixth defensemen role, or is it better to send Boychuck to the AHL, an go out an find an older seventh defencemen to fill in here an there, An if there is an injury that a player will be out for an extensive time, then bring up Boychuck an the older Dman still stays as the seventh..... I just think that there ar alot of older D'men in the league that would settle for less than a million to play on a team that has a strong chance of going deep into the play-offs this season......

I'm a big prospect guy, meaning I would always prefer to give a spot in the lineup to a prospect than to an old vet. Obviously the B's think Boychuk is ready, otherwise they wouldn't have let a reliable guy like Shane Hnidy go to another team for just $750k.
In my opinion, Boychuk is certainly more than capable of being a #6 dman. I saw him play a lot last season, and he is a force to be reckoned with.
He has an absolute howitzer, easily the team's 2nd best shot from the point after Chara. He's also very sound in his own zone, can throw some badass hip checks, and can handle himself with the gloves off. He is a complete defenseman.
In the event of more injuries on defense, you're right, the B's don't have much veteran depth. However, our prospect pool is solid, and I'm sure Adam McQuaid or Jeff Penner would have no problems spotting in as a temporary 6 or 7 defenseman if it comes down to it.

[Chiefs for Life]

Originally Posted by blackngold

I'm a big prospect guy, meaning I would always prefer to give a spot in the lineup to a prospect than to an old vet. Obviously the B's think Boychuk is ready, otherwise they wouldn't have let a reliable guy like Shane Hnidy go to another team for just $750k.
In my opinion, Boychuk is certainly more than capable of being a #6 dman. I saw him play a lot last season, and he is a force to be reckoned with.
He has an absolute howitzer, easily the team's 2nd best shot from the point after Chara. He's also very sound in his own zone, can throw some badass hip checks, and can handle himself with the gloves off. He is a complete defenseman.
In the event of more injuries on defense, you're right, the B's don't have much veteran depth. However, our prospect pool is solid, and I'm sure Adam McQuaid or Jeff Penner would have no problems spotting in as a temporary 6 or 7 defenseman if it comes down to it.

All you said about Boychuk is true, but the fact is how good will he be coming off the bench here an there, in a Seventh man's role, yes he can be a sixth, but is it worth wasting him up here,with limited ice time, if he continues in the American league, gets better, an call him up when needed......

[edwardraffoni]

Originally Posted by Chiefs for Life

Will the Bruins be able to sign Kessel, he is looking for something worth around 3 million a year, witch at the moment the B's don't have the cap room for him.... Stephane Yelle an PJ Axelsson are both unsigned, but with the fact that they are getting up there in age resigning them is not a priorty, I noticed that Boston only has six D men signed, maybe a good utiliy seventh D man should be a priorty???.... If Phil the Thrill settles for around two million I would say the Bruins will be in great shape, even if they do lose a few caracter players.........

As a lifelong Bruins fan, having watched many,many of their games throughout the years, I'm very aware that you need the right blend of players, to be successful in the NHL. I didn't like it when they failed to sign Metropolit lasy year. But I felt relieved, when I saw the great job that Stephane Yelle did last year. I think they will live to regret not keeping P J Axelsson and Stephane Yelle this year. I feel both these guys did many things for the team that don't always show up on the scoreboard. I think '' Harvard Boy'' blundered in not keeping these two key guys on the roster. He can keep all his rhetoric, I know the game, you never easily replace guys like these two. I know it's only one game, but I hope game one a pisspoor showing againsy Washington isn't an indication of things to come. If I'm GM, the last thing I do is let these two guys walk.