Haggs: Boston Bruins Deal Means Big McAvoy Expectations | BHN+

BRIGHTON, Mass – It was a massive day of celebration for the Boston Bruins on social media and otherwise with news breaking that defenseman Charlie McAvoy had signed an 8-year, $76 million contract with the Black and Gold.

It’s the richest deal in Boston Bruins history and points a very clear direction toward the B’s future once elder statesmen like Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand have inevitably moved on from their playing days. The contract wasn’t an out-and-out bargain like extensions for Marchand and Pastrnak had been in years past, but the final money wasn’t any richer than the blue book value for a No. 1 defenseman either.

McAvoy was being paid a $7.3 million salary in the final year of his bridge contract and held arbitration rights following this season. The 23-year-old defenseman is also being handed the keys to running point on the top Bruins power play unit to start this year as well, so he’s likely to pump up his offensive numbers. It all adds up to a situation where McAvoy could have squeezed even more money out of the B’s next year if he’d opted to go that route.

But that clearly wasn’t the end game for the young No. 1 defenseman.

Instead, McAvoy did right by his hockey club agreeing to a maximum contract now and made the statement he wants to be the next Boston Bruins franchise player once all the 2011 Cup holdovers have regrettably moved on. The Long Island native said as much while happily talking about the contract that elevates him among the core group of Boston Bruins players moving forward.