By: Neil Simmons | Follow me on Twitter / X: @NSimmz
Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney has been a busy man over the past few days, wasting no time after the NHL Draft to tie up some business ahead of free agency. Following the Morgan Geekie extension announced last night, the Bruins have announced new deals for Henri Jokiharju, Michael DiPietro, and John Beecher, all of whom were on expiring contracts.
Jokiharju, extended for three years at $3m per season, was acquired from Buffalo for a fourth-round draft pick at last season’s trade deadline. He performed admirably when partnered with Nikita Zadorov down the stretch, with the pair only conceding five goals in almost 275 minutes of ice time over 18 games. His return fills a significant need at right-side defense for the Bruins, and the contract represents great value relative to other options on the free agent market.
DiPietro’s two-year deal at $812,500 per year fills another area of need for the organization by solidifying goaltending depth in Providence, as both he and fellow goalie Brandon Bussi were set to hit free agency this summer. DiPietro posted a career-best season in Providence in which he won the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s Most Outstanding Goaltender and was named to the First All-Star Team with a 26-8-5 record, .927 Sv%, 2.05 Goals Against Average, and four shutouts.
Beecher, the 30th overall pick from the 2019 NHL Draft, signed a one-year, $900k deal upon conclusion of his entry-level contract. Beecher has predominantly held a fourth-line role throughout his two full seasons in Boston, recording 10-11-21 in 130 games, while winning 53.3% of faceoffs over that span.
Following these three deals, as well as the Geekie extension from last night, the Bruins have $12.83m in cap space heading to free agency. With internal needs addressed, Boston can prioritize scoring depth on the open market to fill their vacant second-line right-wing position.
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