The Boston Bruins traded Erik Haula to the New Jersey Devils for left wing/center Pavel Zacha shortly before the free agent frenzy was to begin at noon.
Haula, who centered Boston’s second line in the second half of the 2021-22 season, was set to make $2.375 million in the second year of a two-year deal, while the 25-year-old Zacha is a restricted free agent who had a cap hit of $2.25 million last year, but a salary of $3 million.
The move would seem to open up a spot at center for the return of David Krejci, who has been discussing a return to the Bruins after a year playing in his home country of the Czech Republic. Patrice Bergeron is also expected to return for at least one more season.
The 6-foot-3 Zacha, the sixth overall pick in the 2015 draft, had a career-high 36 points in 70 games this past season, with 15 goals and 21 assists. His career best in goals is 17 in 2020-21.
Haula, 31, finished with 18 goals and 26 assists last season, with a plus-19 rating. He’ll be joining his seventh NHL team.
The Bruins also added some depth by signing five free agents: forwards AJ Greer and Vinni Lettieri, defensemen Dan Renouf and Connor Carrick, and goalie Keith Kincaid.
Greer, a 2015 second-round pick of the Avalanche, signed a two-year deal with a cap hit of $762,000. He has played 47 NHL games and had 22 goals and 30 assists in 53 games with Utica of the American Hockey League last season.
The rest were all two-way deals. Lettieri, a 27-year old center, had five goals and five assists in 31 games with the Anaheim Ducks last season. Renouf, a former UMaine player, has 23 games of NHL experience with the Avalanche and Red Wings but spent most of last season with Grand Rapids of the AHL. Carrick has played 241 NHL games with four teams. Kincaid, 33, is a veteran of 167 NHL games, and went 26-10-3 with a 2.77 GAA for the Devils in 2017-18, but he has played just 16 NHL games for the Canadiens and Rangers over the last three seasons.
SENATORS: Claude Giroux is set to enjoy a homecoming in Ottawa.
Giroux, who’s from northern Ontario and played his junior hockey across the river from Ottawa in Gatineau, Quebec, signed a $19.5 million, three-year contract with the Senators, according to a person with knowledge of the move.
Giroux, 34, brings a veteran and leadership presence to Ottawa’s mix of youngsters. He spent his first 14-plus seasons in Philadelphia, where he served as the Flyers’ captain, before being traded to Florida in March.
“I wouldn’t sign here if I didn’t think we had a chance to win the Cup,” Giroux told Canada’s TSN. “I’m not saying we’re going to win the Cup this year, but the plan is to build on it and have baby steps for that.”
Giroux has topped 20 goals nine times, and finished second in the NHL scoring race with 102 points in 2017-18.
HURRICANES: Carolina acquired veteran defenseman Brent Burns from San Jose, adding a former Norris Trophy winner to a team eager to make a deeper postseason push after two straight second-round exits.
The Hurricanes also got forward Lane Pederson from the Sharks in exchange for forward Steven Lorentz, goaltender prospect Eetu Makiniemi and a conditional third-round pick for next year.
CAPITALS: Darcy Kuemper left a championship team in Colorado to sign a $26.25 million, five-year contract with the Capitals, who are reshuffling their goaltending this offseason.
Kuemper, who had a career-best 37 wins last season, takes over after the Capitals traded Vitek Vanecek to New Jersey and decided not to issue a qualifying offer to Ilya Samsonov.
RANGERS: Vincent Trocheck signed a $39.375 seven-year contract in a move made by the Rangers to replace Andrew Copp, who signed a $28.125 million, five-year contract with Detroit.
Trocheck, 29, has nine seasons of NHL experience, including the past two full years in Carolina, where he had 39 goals and 96 points in 135 games with the Hurricanes.
OILERS: Edmonton began addressing its goaltending needs by agreeing to sign Jack Campbell.
Campbell leaves the Toronto Maple Leafs for Edmonton, where he is projected to compete for the starting job after veteran Mike Smith’s playoff inconsistencies led to the Oilers being outscored 22-13 while being swept by Colorado in the Western Conference finals. Campbell cashes in on a season in which he had career highs in wins with a 31-9-6 record, five shutouts and 47 starts.
AVALANCHE: Stanley Cup champion Colorado re-signed defenseman Josh Manson to an $18 million, four-year contract.
Acquiring Manson at the trade deadline was one of several moves that helped Colorado win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2001. The 2023 second-round draft pick and defense prospect Drew Helleson was a small price to pay for the big defender who provided some toughness for the high-scoring, skilled Avalanche.
Manson, who turns 31 before opening night, dished out several big hits during the Avalanche’s championship run that culminated with beating the Tampa Bay Lightning in the final. He had eight points in 20 games.
LIGHTNING: Tampa Bay extended center Anthony Cirelli and defensemen Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak for eight years each.
The Lightning signed Sergachev for $68 million, Cirelli for $50 million and Cernak for $41.6 million – all through 2031.
The Eastern Conference champions also added defenseman Ian Cole and brought back winger Vladislav Namestnikov on one-year contracts. Cole signed for $3 million and Namestnikov $2.5 million.
SABRES: Buffalo locked up one of its top offensive players by agreeing to re-sign Victor Olofsson to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million.
Olofsson, who turns 26 next week, was a restricted free agent and scored 20 goals and had a career-best 49 points last season.
DUCKS: Anaheim signed forward Frank Vatrano to a $10.95 million, three-year deal with a $3.65 million cap hit, according to a person with knowledge of the details who spoke with the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.
BLUES: St. Louis extended talented forward Robert Thomas through 2031, signing him to a $65 million contract that carries an annual $8.125 million cap hit.
The Blues also kept defenseman Nick Leddy after acquiring him from Detroit at the trade deadline, signing him to a $16 million, four-year deal.
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