Jakub Lauko indicators 2-year take care of Bruins; Swayman, Frederic file for arbitration

Bruins

Jakub Lauko posted seven factors in 23 video games with the Bruins this season.

Boston Bruins forward Jakub Lauko celebrates after his goal against the Buffalo Sabres during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 2, 2023, in Boston.
Jakub Lauko will attempt to battle for a roster spot in coaching camp this fall. (AP Photograph/Charles Krupa)

Because the Bruins look to alleviate their cap-related headache by a prescription of younger skaters, Jakub Lauko will possible stand on the entrance of Boston’s inflow of inner expertise.

And after making a very good first impression with the large membership in 2022-23, Lauko will attempt to construct on that with Boston for the foreseeable future.

The Bruins signed Lauko to a two-year contract on Wednesday with an annual NHL cap hit of $787,500, with the primary 12 months standing as a two-way contract.

Lauko is beneath a one-way deal in 2024-25, with the 23-year-old winger trying to stamp a everlasting spot in Boston’s lineup properly earlier than that contractual shift.

Lauko cut up time between Boston and Windfall this previous season however impressed every time he earned a callup to the NHL ranks.

In 23 video games with the Bruins, Lauko posted seven factors — together with his straight-line pace and willingness to pester opponents making him an efficient bottom-six contributor. 

Together with injecting some pace and ending skill into Boston’s checking unit, Lauko shortly developed a knack for drawing penalties.

The Czech ahead drew 11 penalties in his 23 video games, together with his 3.24 penalties drawn per 60 minutes rating second within the NHL among the many 792 skaters with at the very least 100 minutes of ice time this previous season.

Lauko may battle with veteran Patrick Brown and fellow children like Marc McLaughlin and Oskar Steen for reps on the fourth line this upcoming season.

If Boston believes that Lauko’s wheels and ending skill presents greater upside, he may push for third-line minutes in 2023-24.

“Jakub Lauko is a superb instance, most likely the very best instance this 12 months of a participant that took an unlimited soar by {the summertime} and wasn’t on anyone’s radar to make our opening night time roster, and low and behold, he’s one other man that’s in that blend now to turn out to be, with our projections, hopefully an everyday on a regular basis participant. However he has work to be completed,” Don Sweeney mentioned of Jakub Lauko’s 2022-23 marketing campaign.

Together with Lauko’s new deal, the Bruins are bolstering their depth in internet down in Windfall.

Boston signed goalie Kyle Keyser to a one-year, two-way contract with an NHL cap hit of $775,000.

Keyser, additionally a restricted free agent this offseason, performed in 24 video games with Windfall in 2022-23, forming an efficient tandem with Brandon Bussi down within the AHL ranks.

The 24-year-old goalie posted a 13-6-2-1 report with a 2.79 targets towards common and .900 save share final 12 months with the P-Bruins. In 68 profession AHL video games with Windfall, Keyser is 28-25-11-2 with a 2.79 targets towards common and .904 save share.

Bruins will look to keep away from arbitration hearings with Swayman, Frederic 

Regardless of signing each Lauko and Keyser on Wednesday, the Bruins are reportedly having a more durable time getting different restricted free brokers like Jeremy Swayman and Trent Frederic to place pen to paper.

Each Swayman and Frederic filed for arbitration on Wednesday, together with lately acquired blueliner Ian Mitchell.

Arbitration hearings are scheduled to start on July 20 and can run by August 4. Nevertheless, groups can nonetheless negotiate with gamers with the intention to attempt to push throughout a contract earlier than going to a contentious listening to.

Frederic and Swayman are each due for stable pay raises.

Swayman, who went 24-6-4 with a .920 save share final season, earned $1.05 million in wage final season. Frederic, who buried a career-high 17 targets and 31 factors, made $1.15 million in 2022-23.

The Bruins at the moment have $6.2 million in cap area with the intention to accommodate each Swayman and Frederic’s new contracts. It stays to be seen in the event that they’re stashing apart a few of that cap area in case both Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci return this offseason.