Boston Bruins Sign Tyler Seguin
It has been reported that the Boston Bruins have signed second overall draft pick Tyler Seguin. The contact is said to resemble the one Taylor Hall signed with the Edmonton Oilers. Hall’s deal was a three-year entry level contract with a salary of $900,000, but with bonuses that could tally has high as $3.75 million per year.
Tyler Seguin
Seguin began his hockey career playing for the Toronto Young Nationals of the Minor Midget League. He was drafted ninth overall by the Plymouth Whalers in the 2008 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) priority draft.
Seguin had a strong first season with the Whalers, posting 67 points in 61 games. However, it was not until his second year with the club when he really broke-out, notching 48 goals and 58 assists for 106 points.
In his last season, he went back and forth between first and second with Hall in the 2010 pre-draft rankings. Seguin finished first in the draft rankings at the end of the season, but ended up being taken second overall by the Bruins.
Bruins’ Perspective
The Bruins had to sign Seguin, or else he would become a free agent, and in a way they were obligated to sign him to the maximum entry level salary, which they did at $900,000. Moreover, they were forced to give him the max bonuses, which made his salary around $3.75 million a season.
The only question the Bruins now have is what to do with him?
The Bruins currently find themselves $2.2 million over the salary cap, and if they add Seguin to their line-up, they will be pushed even further above the limit.
The Bruins are lucky because veteran forward Marco Sturm is expected to be injured for at least the first three months of the season, and will be placed on the injured reserve (IR). With a salary of $3.5 million, Boston is allowed to go above the cap that much until he returns. In addition, General Manager (GM) Peter Chiarelli could demote forward Michael Ryder to the AHL, taking his $4 million salary off the books. If he did, he could get Seguin comfortably into the line-up until Sturm’s return.
Another option for Chiarelli is to trade centre Marc Savard, and replace him with Seguin. Savard carries a contract of $4 million, and depending on what comes back, it may be enough to get Seguin into the line-up.
Finally, the Bruins could send Seguin back to the OHL for another season. They would leave him there for the duration of the 2010-11 campaign, allowing him to play in another World Junior Championship and possibly a Memorial Cup.
Seguin’s Perspective
Seguin got the max deal for a rookie, which was expected when he was drafted. Predicted to be a superstar in the league for a long time to come, Seguin is a highly coveted prospect.
Seguin’s goal will be to have such a strong camp that Boston cannot send him back to the OHL and will have to make room for him in the line-up.
If Seguin makes the team, it is not certain where he will play. The Bruins have a logjam at centre and it will be difficult for him to find a productive spot in the line-up behind Savard, David Krejci, and Patrice Bergeron. On the other hand, if Savard were to be dealt before the beginning of the season, Seguin could find himself as high as the second unit, playing behind Krejci and in front of defensive specialist Bergeron.
Conversely, if he is sent back to the OHL, he will have another year to hone his skills, while dominating the league. In addition, he will make the Canadian World Junior team and get another tournament under his belt. Moreover, his OHL squad Plymouth has a good chance of making it to the Memorial Cup, as the OHL will have two bids, with the competition being held in Mississauga, Ontario.
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