Signing the Keystone

This week, the Bruins took care of business and signed their star center, Marc Savard, to a 7-year deal worth around $28 million. When all was said and done, the Bruins and Savard shattered expectations for the terms of the deal by agreeing to a contract that helped both team and player, in a stunning display of cooperation. Peter Chiarelli showed that he is not adverse to paying the players he wants to build his team around, frontloading the contract so that Savard will be earning $7 million for the next two years, followed by a steady decrease in annual payout until he is earning only $500,000 and change in the final two years.

I love this deal. I love everything about it, which I will elaborate on here. First, the very fact that Chiarelli didn't allow this to head to the summertime, avoiding Savard and free agency entirely. Both sides showed that what they really want is to remain together, and instead of weeks of posturing and gamesmanship, we got two parties working it out to mutual benefit.

As the NHL's cap rules calculate a player's cap hit based solely on his average salary over the length of his contract, Savard's annual cap hit with the new contract is actually less than his current hit. This is due to the front-loading, and while Savard will earn his well-deserved raise over the next few years, the Bruins will be on the books for only $4.007 million a year, for a player who is consitently in the top 15 in points production in the NHL. This will help immensely in giving Chiarelli the cash he needs to surround Savard with the talent needed to succeed, and to hopefully extend the likes of Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, and Blake Wheeler.

What amazes me and makes me smile the most, though, is the fact that Savard said he would take less money to stay here, and he freaking did. The Bruins still need to do well by him and go and get him a premier winger to go with him, but his impact since his return from injury is undeniable.

So, as I wait for the return of Looch, the things on my mind the most are how much Savard means to the team, how much the play of Tuukka excites me for the future. After the thin patch to begin the season, I feel the team is turning itself around, and while I wouldn't be surprised if the Bruins don't end up winning the division, I'm thinking if they keep playing like they are, the playoffs are all but a certainty. Fingers crossed...

-M