Boston Bruins replace lost Michael Ryder with Montreal Canadiens forward Benoit Pouliot
Boston Bruins wanted forward, Michael Ryder, to test the 2011 National Hockey League's (NHL) free agency market and that is what he exactly did as he signed with Dallas Stars to a two-year, $7 million deal on Friday, day-one of the free market.
Tomas Kaberle is still a free agent on the market and is waiting for a better offer until Boston offers him one of its own.
"Rides got a good deal, so good for him", Bruins' general manager, Peter Chiarelli, said in a conference call with reporters about Michael Ryder. "I texted him and I wished him well and I told him, 'Make sure you light up all those Eastern Conference teams,
except for us'".
Obviously, Boston would need to fill the gap created by the 31-year-old who scored 41 points for them during the regular season.
Bruins signed Benoit Pouliot, a left winger for the Montreal Canadiens who became a free agent and was unable to strike a deal with his now former team.
“We like his skill, we like his size, we think he’ll fit in with our team”, Bruins GM Chiarelli said in a late-afternoon conference call with reporters. “He’s got a good shot off the wing, he’s still young and we feel he’ll develop. We’re happy to get him
at that number”.
A fourth overall draft pick by Minnesota Wild during the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Poulit played four seasons with his original draft team until being traded to Montreal during the 2009-2010 season.
Poulit had a career high of 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) last season in 79 games played. He helped them during their second consecutive playoff entry and managed to participate in three games against Boston Bruins.
After signing Pouliot, speculations arose that he might have a tough time adjusting in the Boston locker room since both teams faced extreme rivalry on the ice and have had many physical moments with each other.
According to Chiarelli, Poulit will eventually fill into the team dynamics and show his performance, which the Bruins management hopes will be better than his time in Montreal.
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