Bruce Cassidy explains why, with so much turnover the last few years, it’s time for the younger generation to step up and lead in order for the team to stay consistently in the hunt for Stanley Cup championships.
Charlie McAvoy is going to be a Boston Bruins player for a long time.
The B's signed McAvoy to an eight-year, $76 million contract with a salary cap hit of $9.5 million, the team announced Friday.
The deal was first reported by longtime NHL insider Bob McKenzie, who tweeted a salary breakdown:
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It's the largest contract in Bruins history in terms of total value and average annual value.
McAvoy's AAV of $9.5 million is nearly $3 million more than the next-highest on the Bruins, which is Patrice Bergeron's $6.875 million.
This contract compares pretty well to recent deals given to defenseman similar in age and talent to McAvoy, including Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar's six-year, $54 million extension signed in the offseason.
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2021-22 NHL Position Rankings: Top 10 defensemen
McAvoy is one of the league's best defenseman. He's 23 years old and finished fifth in Norris Trophy voting in 2020-21. He tallied 30 points (five goals, 25 assists) in 51 games last season, while also rating very high in many 5-on-5 analytics.
The former Boston University star is entering the final year of his current contract. Therefore, this new extension won't kick in until the 2022-23 season.
