BOSTON — Mark Recchi, 42, wants to stick around and be a part of the Boston Bruins’ youth movement.

Recchi signed a one-year contract to return to Boston for a 22nd NHL season, making him the league’s oldest active player under contract. It also gives him a chance to play with 18-year-old prospect Tyler Seguin – the No. 2 overall selection in last week’s draft.

“I think it’s wonderful any time you can get a kid like that. That’s a franchise player,” Recchi said in a conference call with reporters on Monday. “Throw this kid in the mix, he’s going to be an important part.”

A seven-time All-Star, Recchi leads active players with 922 assists and 1,485 points and is second with 563 goals. He is ninth in games played with 1,571, but after another full season could move him up as high as fourth.

“My first run, I went two weeks ago and about halfway in I thought about retiring. But I love playing, so why not play as long as I’m enjoying it?” Recchi said. “We’re getting to the point where my kids are older and I have to make some decisions based on that. … It’s year-to-year. At the end of next year, I’ll do it again.”

The Bruins reached the Eastern Conference semifinals this season, taking a 3-0 lead over Philadelphia before the Flyers tied the series and then came back from a three-goal deficit in Game 7 to advance. Boston is just the third NHL team to lose a playoff series it led by three games.

“It really hurts. I’ve never been so disappointed the way the season ended,” Recchi said. “I’m excited about coming back. I think the Bruins are going in the right direction.”

And Seguin is a big reason why.

Despite reaching the playoffs, the Bruins were able to take Seguin second overall with the pick they got for trading Phil Kessel to Toronto.

Recchi said Seguin will benefit from playing with a team that doesn’t need him to produce right away.

“He can come in and he can learn and grow and be a part of a good hockey team,” Recchi said. “I think that’s important for a young kid in his development.”

Recchi’s ability to mentor young players is one of the reasons General Manager Peter Chiarelli wants him around.

“He’s looking forward to helping the younger kids,” Chiarelli said. “The whole group has to help the younger kids and manage their expectations, manage their lifestyles and all that. It’s a group effort, but someone like Mark who has done it and has done it successfully will be an asset to our team.”

Recchi had 18 goals and 25 assists last season, plus a team-leading six goals along with four assists in 13 playoff games. He was acquired by the Bruins from the Lightning in March 2009, and has also played for Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Montreal, Carolina and Atlanta.

If Chris Chelios, 48, retires, Recchi would be the oldest player in the league. Chelios played seven games with the Atlanta Thrashers last season, his 26th in the NHL.

TRADE: The Colorado Avalanche acquired forward Daniel Winnik from the Phoenix Coyotes for a fourth-round pick in the 2012 NHL draft.

Winnik, a former University of New Hampshire player, had four goals and 15 assists in 74 games for Phoenix last season, when he led the team’s forwards with 54 blocked shots and was second on the club with 30 takeaways.

Avalanche General Manager Greg Sherman lauded Winnik’s size (6-foot-2, 210 pounds), speed and ability to kill penalties in saying the forward will “fill an important role with our team next season.”

COYOTES: Phoenix signed left wing Wojtek Wolski to a two-year deal.

The 24-year-old from Poland set career highs last season with 23 goals and 42 assists in 80 games. He was acquired from Colorado in a deal that sent forwards Peter Mueller and Kevin Porter to the Avalanche at last season’s trade deadline.

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