For the second consecutive year, Bruins captain Zdeno Chara has signed a one-year contract extension at a reduced pay rate to stay with the Bruins. The deal gives the B’s more space to negotiate contracts for Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo and others.
The Bruins gave Zdeno Chara a late birthday present on Saturday.
Chara gave something back to the Bruins, too.
Chara, who turned 42 on Monday, signed a one-year contract extension that will stretch his career to a 14th season with the Bruins. It’s the second consecutive one-year contract on which he has agreed to a pay cut. Playing this season for $5 million, after seven years at a salary cap charge that was usually just short of $7 million, Chara’s deal for next season calls for a $2 million base salary, with another $1.75 available in incentives.
The more drastic reduction, while partly reflective of a slightly reduced role in past seasons, is more the result of Chara and the B’s clearing space for big contracts on the horizon. His defense partner, Charlie McAvoy, and third-year blue-liner Brandon Carlo reach the end of their entry level contracts on June 30. The same is true for winger Danton Heinen, and forward Jake DeBrusk heads the list of those whose entry level deals expire at the end of next season.
“We all know that next season is very important for our organization,” said Chara, who has captained the Bruins since signing as a free agent in 2006-07.
“I wanted to just make sure, in having talks with (general manager Don Sweeney), that we placed the team in the best possible position for upcoming seasons. For sure, that was something we considered most … and tried to work around it.”
While no longer the busiest Bruins defenseman - McAvoy (22:04) and Torey Krug (21:20) have both averaged more ice time than Chara’s 20:59, and Carlo (20:53) is close - Chara remains the defensive conscience of the No. 1 defense pairing, and still leads the Bruins in penalty-killing ice time (3:03 per game). His plus-16 rating trails only Carlo (plus-17) on the blue line.
Still, he’ll fall to fifth on the defense corps’ pay scale next season, trailing Krug ($5.25 million), John Moore ($2.75), Kevan Miller ($2.5), plus McAvoy and Carlo, who will undoubtedly receive significant raises above their current, sub-$1 million deals.
Chara feels it’s worth it to stay with a team he thinks can contend for another Stanley Cup to go with the one he and the B’s won in 2011.
“I enjoy my role,” he said. “I really take a lot of pride in being a captain, being one of those mentor guys who try to help younger guys, to lead them in the right direction, make sure they keep getting better and better.
“It’s a lot of fun to be part of. Coming up in the future, this team is in the right place. For sure, I want to be part of it.”
Around the boards: The Bruins announced on Saturday that forward Sean Kuraly had undergone surgery to repair a fractured hand, and will miss up to four weeks - two weeks past the end of the regular season.
Kuraly, injured in Thursday’s 5-1 win over the Devils, had most recently centered the third line while Charlie Coyle replaced Marcus Johansson (lung contusion) on the second line. He scored eight goals and 21 points over 71 games in his second NHL season after a 6-8--14 rookie campaign, and was 2-2--4 over his last four games.
Karson Kuhlman was recalled from AHL Providence for Saturday’s road game against the Panthers.