Bruins Still Wheeling And Dealing, Sign Brian Gionta For Rest Of Season

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The Bs aren’t done yet.

A few hours after landing Rick Nash, the team signed 39-year-old free agent Brian Gionta for the remainder of the 2017-18 season at a pro-rated $700K. Gionta just captained Team USA in its disappointing Olympics showing and I’m guessing the Bruins watched the former Hab/Devil/Sabre. Which is why this move raises an eyebrow.

With all due respect to the longtime NHL vet, he frequently looked like a 39-year-old guy during the Olympic games. Maybe it was the bigger ice surface or the poorly-constructed roster, but Gionta wasn’t popping off your screen and he didn’t have you clamoring for your NHL team to sign him for the stretch run.

Having said all that, the Bruins pay a lot of people a lot of money to research this shit better than I do from my couch. They clearly have reasons they wanted to sign Gionta. He’ll be an extra tool for coach Bruce Cassidy to have in his box. A bit of a worn-down tool with a slowed motor. But, a tool nonetheless.

Maybe the front office thinks he’ll be useful on the PP, that he has a few more snipes left in his twig. His leadership and years of experience can only help in the locker room, particularly given the number of youngsters on the roster (I can see him helping out fellow forwards Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen with pointers). And frankly, the Bruins have nothing to lose except whatever $700K pro-rates out to on February 25th. If he works out, great. If he doesn’t, then you have one more Black Ace for the playoffs. At least he can’t torch the Bruins anymore now.

To make room on the roster, Paul Postma was placed on waivers and will end up helping Providence if he goes unclaimed.