Don’t expect Matt Beleskey to take long to fully immerse himself in the Boston Bruins’ culture.
The 27-year-old left winger, who signed a five-year, $19 million contract with Boston on Wednesday, plays the type of hard, heavy hockey that Bruins fans love.
“Boston’s always been a team that I’ve watched,” Beleskey said Wednesday. “Obviously, the Big Bad Bruins has been something I’ve loved as a player and as a fan of the game. You know, guys like Cam Neely you watch as a kid, you look up to. An Original Six team with an amazing fan base.
“I actually got to play there for the first time in my career last year and it was just a great feeling playing in that building, and I’m extremely excited to wear the ‘B’ on my chest this season and for the next five years.”
Beleskey scored a career-high 22 goals last season isn’t afraid to go hard to the net and score dirty goals. That element was missing too often from the Bruins’ offense last season, which ranked 22nd in the NHL in goals scored.
Beleskey’s size and skill made him a top target for the Bruins when NHL free agency began Wednesday.
“Well, he was always identified as one of the top free agents in the market for us,” B’s general manager Don Sweeney said Wednesday in a media conference call.
“Obviously, he had a breakout year, he had a very, very strong playoff that he followed up from a breakout year offensively, goal-production wise. His style of play was something that we identified that we were missing in our group, and it was just a real good opportunity to pursue a player that we coveted.”
It’s unclear where exactly Beleskey will play in the Bruins’ lineup, but he’d definitely be a good fit alongside a playmaking center such as David Krejci or Ryan Spooner.
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
