Boston Bruins keep Chris Kelly, Gregory Campbell on board with contract extensions -NHL Update
Boston Bruins stayed busy with their offseason signings before the free agency July 1st deadline starts by keeping Chris Kelly and Gregory Campbell on board with fresh contract extensions on Monday, June 11, 2012.
Both players have reportedly received pay raises in their annual salaries compared to their previous contracts which were to expire on the free agency deadline, making them available to any team around the league.
Gregory Campbell was on a two-year contract worth $2.2 million, but is now getting a cool $4.8 million over the next three years. Chris Kelly on the other hand, is has signed a four-year, $12 million deal, giving him $3 million a year from his previous four-year,
$8.5 million contract.
Being drafted as the 94th overall pick back in 1999, Chris Kelly has eight years of experience in the major league, mostly with his original team, the Ottawa Senators.
It was Chris Kelly’s first full season with the 2011 Stanley Cup champions last National Hockey League (NHL) regular season after he was traded by the Ottawa Senators back in 2010-2011 and was a significant contributor in their run for a championship.
He had played 82 games and put up 39 points (20 goals, 19 assists) and 41 minutes in penalty time to prove him being an all-rounder when it came to playing.
Gregory Campbell, a 28-year-old forward, was drafted as the 67th overall pick during round-three of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by Florida Panthers and signed on with Boston Bruins prior to the 2010-2011 regular season.
Both players definitely give Boston Bruins a lot of offensive depth to work on. Signing them back to the team ensures another great regular season with less room for newer players, something they are not looking for going into the free agency.
Had Campbell and Kelly decided to leave for another offer during the offseason, Boston Bruins would be left with a lot of issues facing their attacking squad and might not have been able to fill in the gaps on time.
Next season, Boston Bruins are looking to get back into Stanley Cup winning form and having Chris Kelly and Gregory Campbell is definitely the first step to doing so.
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