Boston Bruins: Alex Petrovic signing brings added depth to blue line
The Boston Bruins signed veteran defenseman Alex Petrovic to a one-year, two-way contract worth $700,000 for the 2019-20 season.
The 27-year-old was initially invited to Boston Bruins training camp on a professional try-out deal. With questions surrounding the health of Kevan Miller and John Moore to start the season, the Boston Bruins elected to sign Alex Petrovic as a low-risk option to fill in if needed.
Alex Petrovic split time last season between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers, appearing in 35 NHL games while recording two assists.
With the Boston Bruins having so many puck-moving defensemen on the roster, Alex Petrovic plays more of a physical, shutdown role. The 6-foot-4, 216-pound blueliner has registered just 50 points in 263 career games but also has 301 blocked shots and 631 hits during that span.
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The Bruins also have younger options on the blue line, with Urho Vaakanainen likely to be the first player called up to the NHL lineup if needed. However, the NHL experience that Alex Petrovic brings could be more valuable as an injury replacement, while Vaakanainen could continue to develop while playing top minutes in Providence.
The signing really has no immediate effect on how the Bruins roster will look on opening night. The Bruins are still projected to enter the season with Zdeno Chara, Charlie McAvoy, Torey Krug, Brandon Carlo, Matt Grzelcyk and Connor Clifton as their top six defensemen.
It’s unclear how much playing time, if any, Petrovic will see with the Bruins. Essentially, his signing serves as a safety blanket for the Bruins in case of injuries. He could also see some action late in the season depending on playoff seeding and if any players are looking to rest up before the playoffs.
Ultimately, signing Petrovic just gives the Bruins one more player capable of logging some NHL minutes if needed.
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After all of the injuries to the defensemen that the Bruins sustained during the playoffs last season, adding another body to the back end just provides some extra insurance.