Bruins sign a pair of depth forwards in free agency
The Bruins’ busy start to free agency continued on Wednesday, this time in the forward group. According to multiple reports, they’re signing free agents Erik Haula and Tomas Nosek.
Per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, Haula’s deal with the Bruins is for two years and an average annual value of $2.375 million. Year 1 is for $2.25 million and year 2 is for $2.5 million.
As reported by Darren Dreger of TSN, Nosek signed with the Bruins for two years and $3.5 million, an AAV of $1.75 million.
Haula, 30, has previously played for the Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, and Nashville Predators. He has flashed scoring ability, potting 29 goals in 2017-18 for Vegas. He most recently scored 21 points in 51 games for the Preds, while averaging 16 minutes of ice time.
Nosek played the first two seasons of his career with the Detroit Red Wings before going to the Golden Knights via the 2017 expansion draft. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound centerman played 38 games for Vegas in the 2020-21 season, averaging 13 minutes of ice time.
The signings of Haula and Nosek have a chance to offset the loss of former Bruins forward Sean Kuraly, who signed a free-agent deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Boston also decided not to extend qualifying offers to restricted free-agent forwards Nick Ritchie and Ondrej Kase, making them unrestricted free agents.
The Bruins also signed a defenseman to start free agency, agreeing to a three-year deal with former Kings blue liner Derek Forbort.
MORE: Bruins reportedly sign defenseman Derek Forbort
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