The Boston Bruins have signed free agent forward Brian Gionta for the rest of the season. He gets a prorated $700,000.
Bruins sign Brian Gionta to one-year, one-way contract through 2017-18 season worth $700,000: https://t.co/Ui8jBkESFW
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) February 25, 2018
Brian Gionta signs with Boston Bruins
Over his 15-year-career Gionta has played for the New Jersey Devils, Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens. He has put up 289 goals and 299 assists for 588 points in 1,006 games. He was originally drafted in the third round, 82nd overall in the 1998 NHL draft by the New Jersey Devils.
Last year he scored 15 goals and 20 assists for 35 points while playing for the Buffalo Sabres. He also added 22 minutes in penalties. This year during the Olympics he failed to record a point in five games as captain of Team USA.
What This Means for The Future
With this signing by the Bruins, it shows that they are continuing to build for a deep playoff run. Adding a veteran winger like Gionta and acquiring Rick Nash in a trade from the New York Rangers shows that they are looking for experience and that’s what Gionta brings. While in New Jersey he helped the Devils to a Stanley Cup Championship during the 2002-03 season. After spending multiple years in Buffalo failing to make the playoffs joining the Bruins give Gionta a chance to get another cup before hanging up the skates.
Gionta isn’t the only player to be signed after the Olympics and players used the opportunity not only to represent their country but to show NHL teams that they can still play at a high level. The other Olympian who was signed was Canadian defensemen Cody Goloubef who signed with the Calgary Flames. Goloubef helped team Canada to a bronze medal. He signs a two-way deal. Goloubef has 129 games of prior NHL experience.
.@CortexBusiness Transaction Alert: The #Flames have signed defenceman @CodyGoloubef27 to a two-way contract for the remainder of the 2017-18 season. https://t.co/sK0IKCzTAc
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) February 25, 2018
Main Photo: AUGSBURG, GERMANY – NOVEMBER 12: Bernhard Ebner of Germany and Brian Gionta of USA battle for the ball during the Deutschland Cup 2017 match between Germany and USA at Curt-Frenzel-Stadion on November 12, 2017 in Augsburg, Germany. (Photo by TF-Images/TF-Images via Getty Images)
