Obscure former Boston Bruins: Jarred Tinordi

OK, I guess I’ll stop with the forwards for a bit. After doing the previous edition on Ondrej Kase on Monday, the obscure former Bruins series is back in action and shifting to the blue line, looking into defenseman Jarred Tinordi, another more recent former Bruin.

A first-round draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2010, Tinordi debuted near the end of the 2012-2013 season with eight games, picking up a pair of assists. After shuffling between the AHL and NHL for a few seasons, the Canadiens traded Tinordi in the middle of the 2015-2016 season to the Arizona Coyotes.

A few months later, Tinordi was slapped with a 20-game suspension for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA performance enhancing substance program. He did not play in the league for three years after that, bouncing between AHL squads, including a stint as the captain of the Milwaukee Admirals.

After one goal and four assists in 28 games for the Nashville Predators in 2019-2020, Tinordi started the Covid shortened season with Nashville, going pointless in seven games. The Predators then put him on waivers, and, in February of 2021, with the Bruins defense decimated by injury, he was claimed by the Bruins.

It didn’t take long for Tinordi to make an impact. In a game against the Washington Capitals, Brandon Carlo was sent to the hospital following a hit from noted troublemaker Tom Wilson.

In just his second game with the Bruins, Tinordi took matters into his own hands and took on Wilson, with the two going at it in a spirited fight, landing punch after punch.

The fight was a rematch of another fight between the duo from 2015 when Tinordi faced off with Wilson during his tenure with the Canadiens.

Tinordi would spend most of his time on the ninth floor of the Garden as the Bruins defense got healthier, recording one assist in 14 games. He appeared in four playoff games that year, going without a point as the Bruins lost in the second round to the New York Islanders.

After the Covid season ended, Tinordi became a free agent, signing a two-year contract with the New York Rangers, paying him $900,000 annually. He appeared in just seven games in 2021-2022, scoring one goal.

Just before the season was set to open last year, the Rangers put Tinordi on waivers, with the Chicago Blackhawks swooping in to claim him. He had a few stints on IR but was able to play often given the weak Blackhawks roster, putting up two goals and six assists in 44 games.

Hitting free agency again, the Blackhawks re-signed Jarred Tinordi this summer, agreeing to a $1.25 million contract for the 2023-2024 season. While his time in Boston was brief, Tinordi became a hero quickly when he challenged Wilson, and he serves his role as a depth defenseman well.