Chiarelli On Toucher & Rich: Tuukka Showed 'How Dynamic He Can Be In Crunch Time'
BOSTON (CBS) - It's been one busy month for the Boston Bruins since their season came to an end in the Stanley Cup Final.
Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich on Wednesday morning to talk about his wheelings and dealings since the season came to an end, and his thoughts on the future of the club.
Chiarelli inked both goaltender Tuukka Rask and Patrice Bergeron to 8-year extensions shortly after the season, and while he said there are risks to signing players to such long deals, these two will make up the backbone of the Bruins for years to come.
"There's always risks associated with it. When you give contracts of that length or long-term deals, you have to know the individual, how he comes to work every day and how durable he is physically and mentally," said Chiarelli. "With Tuukka there are risks, but he's been in our organization for a long time and had success at every level and done everything we've asked him to do. He showed us this last playoff run how dynamic he can be in crunch time."
"He hasn't played a true full-year for us, but we're confident with how Tuukka is as a person that we are going to minimize the risk of these deals based on how the player is as a competitor," Chiarelli added.
"The same applies for Patrice; he's been with us longer, and he has medical issues that present risks, but everybody does. Patrice is a warrior and a leader, a terrific person," he said of Bergeron. "These are the types of bets you make in this business and are usually successful."
Before he locked up his two stars, Chiarelli shipped Tyler Seguin to Dallas for forward Loui Eriksson and three prospects. Numerous reports came out following the trade about Seguin's partying ways, with one report saying the team had to have a talk with the 21-year-old forward during Boston's first-round series in Toronto.
Chiarelli wouldn't elaborate on his conversations with Seguin, just that he wishes him well and is happy with the deal from a Boston standpoint.
"What I can tell you is I did meet with Tyler during that series, and that's what I can tell you," Chiarelli said. "Tyler is a very good player and will be a very good player. We made the decision to trade him for a couple of reasons and we're happy with the trade. I wish Tyler well."
In Eriksson, Chiarelli says the Bruins have a proven goal scorer that will help the Bruins compete for a Cup over the next three years.
"What he is is he's still young, he's 27, he's a natural winger that finds ways to score. He's a proven goal scorer, so he's going to help us a lot," Chiarelli said of Eriksson. "I feel with that addition alone it will help us remain a contender for the Stanley Cup for the next three years at the very least."
Chiarelli also talks about the three prospects the Bruins received in the Seguin trade, and the signing of forward Jarome Iginla:
