The Boston Bruins have locked up another young piece of their team, signing 24-year-old forward Marat Khusnutdinov to a three-year extension that carries an annual cap hit of $3.95 million.
ESPN's Kevin Weekes was the first to report the deal, while colleague Emily Kaplan was first to report the term and money. The Bruins officially announced the signing Wednesday afternoon.
Khusnutdinov, a native of Russia who was a second-round pick of Minnesota back in 2020, was acquired from the Wild in March 2025 in a trade that sent Justin Brazeau the other way. He currently makes $925,000 and was set to be a restricted free agent after this season.
Khusnutdinov had 33 points (15g, 18a) in 77 games last year, his first full season in Boston and second full season in the NHL. He has five points (2g, 3a) in 10 games so far this year.
Khusnutdinov has proven to be something of a Swiss Army knife for coach Marco Sturm, as the lefty shot has played both wings as well as center. He has also played on all four lines, capable of grinding and playing defense on the fourth line, but also able to complement more skilled offensive players higher in the lineup thanks to his speed, tenacity in winning pucks back, and ability to hold onto pucks in the offensive zone.
Most recently, Khusnutdinov has been slotting in at second-line left wing next to Fraser Minten, initially with JJ Peterka on their right and now with Morgan Geekie there. He has four points in the last five games and is averaging 13:41 time on ice for the season.
Last month, the Bruins signed the 22-year-old Minten to a seven-year extension worth $7.2 million per year. Peterka, still just 24, is locked in through the 2029-30 season at $7.7 million per year.
The Bruins' youth has proven to be a crucial part of their 7-2-1 start to the season. Players who are 25 or younger have combined to score 19 of Boston's 36 goals. General manager Don Sweeney seems to want to be proactive in locking up some of that youth for years to come.
Matt Poitras (4 goals in 7 games) signed a one-year deal as a restricted free agent right before the start of training camp. He'll become eligible for an extension on Jan. 1. Rookie James Hagens (7 points in 10 games) would first be eligible for an extension next summer, on July 1. Same goes for 23-year-old rookie defenseman Frederic Brunet, who is signed for one more year after this.
