Report: Bruins Make Extension Offers To Four Players
BOSTON (CBS) - The Boston Bruins have extended contract extension offers to four of their potential free agents, according to Bob McKenzie of TSN in Canada.
McKenzie tweeted Thursday night the Bruins have made offers to forwards Chris Kelly, Shawn Thornton, Gregory Campbell and Daniel Paille, all set to become unrestricted free agents on July 1.
Thornton, a fan and locker room favorite, told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich Friday morning that he had not heard anything of a contract extension from the team or his agent. He added that he had at least two to three good seasons left in him, and after his success with the Bruins over the last four years, it's hard to imagine he would want to go anywhere else.
Kelly, acquired before the trade deadline last season, played a major role for the Bruins in their Stanley Cup run with five goals and eight assists. He scored three goals in the Bruins first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens, and had a three-point game in a pivotal Game 5 victory. In 2012, Kelly has 14 goals and 12 assists.
Kalman: Glad To Be Wrong About Chris Kelly
Campbell, Thornton and Paille make up the Bruins fourth "energy" line. All three are important to the team's depth, and if the report is true, is just another sign of general manager Peter Chiarelli trying to keep the 2011 Stanley Cup team's chemistry together.
The Bruins signed defenseman Johnny Boychuk, who was due to become an unrestricted free agent as well, to a three-year contract extension earlier this week.
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