The Boston Bruins made three signings Wednesday that won’t move the needle, but provide some needed depth.
Restricted free agent Jakub Zboril signed a two-year deal that carries a $750,000 cap hit in the NHL. The Bruins also signed a pair of unrestricted free agents in veteran center Greg McKegg and goalie Callum Booth. Both of those deals are two-way contracts that carry a $700,000 cap hit in the NHL.
Zboril was a first-round pick of the Bruins in 2015. He’s taken a little bit of time to develop, but really took a leap this past season and, in the eyes of coach Jay Leach, was Providence’s best defenseman down the stretch this past season.
The 23-year-old could very much compete for a spot on the NHL roster this season with Torey Krug out of the picture.
McKegg, 28, has 185 NHL games to his name, 53 of which came last season with the New York Rangers, where he scored five goals with four assists. He figures to be bottom six depth for the Bruins, similar to Par Lindholm. Putting him on a two-way deal will make it easier for the Bruins to move him up and down.
Booth is a 23-year-old netminder that has spent the bulk of his career in the ECHL. The 2015 fourth-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes figures to be an extra netminder in the minors, replacing the job vacated by Maxime Lagace, who left the Bruins for the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.
With Booth in the fold, the Bruins now have him, Dan Vladar, Kyle Keyser and Jeremy Swayman in the minor league levels of the organization.
The three signings join the re-signing of Kevan Miller and addition of Craig Smith as the Bruins’ offseason transactions so far. Zdeno Chara remains a UFA, while Jake DeBrusk and Matt Grzelcyk remain RFAs.
