Boston Bruins: New deal a bit of an over-pay for Danton Heinen

The Boston Bruins have managed to sign a new deal for forward, Danton Heinen, avoiding an arbitration hearing. However, it’s come at some cost.

Danton Heinen will be paid $2.8 million the next two seasons by the Boston Bruins, not a bad deal by any means, but it could well prove an over-pay given they still need to secure Brandon Carlo and Charlie McAvoy to new deals.

It’s completely understandable for Boston Bruins General Manager, Don Sweeney to want to bring Danton Heinen back, he does after all offer a steady two-way presence to the third-line and can shift up and down the line-up as required. He’s the versatile sort of player you like to have available when injuries occur.

On it’s own, it’s not an awful deal – perfectly comparable to other players that can chip in a 200-foot game, aren’t overly aggressive and can score at least at a reasonable pace. However, when you place it into the context of the Boston Bruins’ current situation, it’s less than ideal.

More from Free Agency

• Bruins bringing back familiar forward on tryout contract
• The Bruins should take a look at these four free agents
• Boston Bruins add veteran middle six depth in James van Riemsdyk
• Bruins reinforce defense with Kevin Shattenkirk signing
• Boston Bruins sign Morgan Geekie to shore up center depth

They now have just $7.35 million to play with and it’s fair to say that young defenseman, Charlie McAvoy will be expecting a significant portion if not all of that. This will mean there’s no money left for Brandon Carlo, unless Sweeney can get creative.

Suddenly, it’s became of utmost importance to deal away Kevan Miller, John Moore or David Backes.

Maybe this deal is actually part of something more; maybe the Boston Bruins management team is upset at Danton Heinen for using his right to push an arbitration hearing on them. Maybe this deal is a sign and trade?

Whatever the case pans out to be; right now, it’s a positive to have Heinen back in black and gold for two more seasons, provided the cost isn’t Carlo or McAvoy. If I’m making that trade-off, I’m the loser every single time.

I guess for now it’s all a case of having faith in the NHL’s General Manager of the Year. He clearly is a man with a plan and felt an arbitration hearing could well push the cap hit on a new deal above $3 million.

By signing Heinen to a two year deal, he gets one more restricted free agency period, but it falls in the summer that the Backes salary comes off the cap.

Time will tell whether this move is genius or whether it’s a regrettable overpay. If he gets back to his rookie season fifty-point pace, it’s actually very cheap, if however he’s around the thirty point marker again, it’s too much to be paying.