It official: The Vancouver Canucks have signed ex-Bruin defenseman Matt Bartkowski to a one-year deal worth $1.75 million.
The Vancouver Canucks have signed D-man Matt Bartkowski to a 1-year deal #offseason #NHL #FreeAgency
— SiriusXM NHL Network (@SiriusXMNHL) July 1, 2015
This signing was not unexpected at all, as the Canucks were very imminent on signing the 27-year-old defenseman Bartkowski at the trade deadline last season. A trade was very close to being executed, however it fell through at the last minute, so the Boston Bruins decided to hold on to him and release him when his contract was up.
Bartkowski has a lot of upside to his game, however he has yet to be able to find it consistently. In 131 games with the Bruins, he tallied only 24 assists while failing to score a goal in the regular season. Bartkowski’s only professional goal was in Game 7 between the Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs.
That isn’t to say Bartkowski is not a good pick up for the Canucks, however in order for him to have a steady NHL career, he is going to have to work at his defensive game as well as work on his transition game. Bartkowski is known for being relatively skilled in the puck-movement category, however given the fact he doesn’t have a lot of experience in the big leagues, it often ends in him coughing-up the puck. If the Canucks work hard at developing Bartkowski into a consistent depth-defender, expect the team to lock him up with a bigger contract next year.
Sometimes all it takes is a change in scenery.
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