Reflecting on David Krejci's career, what's next for Bruins
The Bruins continue to create more competition for forward jobs, this time by bringing in a veteran winger they'll at least take a look at in training camp.
The team announced on Monday that it has signed Alex Chiasson to a professional tryout agreement. Boston would need to sign Chiasson to an NHL contract if he ultimately wins a roster spot.
Chiasson, 32, had six goals and three assists in 20 NHL games for the Detroit Red Wings last season, including two goals in back-to-back games against the Bruins in March. He also had nine goals and 11 assists in 29 AHL games for the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Chiasson, a Montreal native who played college hockey at Boston University from 2009-12, has played 11 years in the NHL, compiling 233 points in 651 career games.
His best season came in 2018-19, when he had a career-high 22 goals and 38 points for the Edmonton Oilers. Chiasson won a Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2017-18, registering a goal and an assist while playing 16 games during that playoff run.
There had been rumors linking the Bruins to Chiasson in the past, but nothing ever materialized until now. Chiasson is a big body (6-foot-4, 208 pounds) who has been especially effective on the power play, with 30 of his 61 NHL goals over the last five seasons coming on the man advantage.
With the Bruins losing several power-play forwards from last season (Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Tyler Bertuzzi, Taylor Hall), there is an opportunity for Chiasson to potentially win himself a bottom-six role that includes some power-play time.
Chiasson joins a crowded field in the competition for third- and fourth-line jobs that also includes new additions Milan Lucic, Morgan Geekie, Patrick Brown, Jesper Boqvist, Jayson Megna and Anthony Richard, as well as Trent Frederic, A.J. Greer and youngsters like Jakub Lauko, Marc McLaughlin, Johnny Beecher, Fabian Lysell, Georgii Merkulov and John Farinacci.
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