Bruins sign BU's Matt Grzelcyk – Boston Herald
ST. LOUIS — The Bruins signed Boston University senior defenseman Matt Grzelcyk to a two-year entry level deal today. The contract will kick in next season. In the meantime, he will join the Providence Bruins on an Amateur Tryout contract for the remainder of the season.
Like his good friend Jimmy Vesey, who recently spurned the Nashville Predators’ overtures to sign him and will become a free agent, Grzelcyk, too would have become a free agent on August 15 had he not come to terms with the B’s.
The Bruins drafted Grzelcyk with the 85th overall pick in 2012. He is built in the mold of Torey Krug, a small (5-10, 175 pounds) puck-moving, left-shot defenseman who has strong leadership qualities. Grzelcyk, a two-time captain of the Terriers, has notched 20-41-61 totals over 68 games the last two years for BU.
Whether the B’s can have two similarly-sized players like Krug, a restricted free agent in July, and Grzelcyk remains to be seen. But the fact that Krug and the smallish John-Michael Liles have been able to co-exist fairly would indicate that the organization would not be afraid to go in that direction.
And it will be interesting to see if Grzelcyk’s signing is one more positive in the Bruins’ favor in their expected attempt to land Vesey. The Harvard star and North Reading native turned down the Predators’ offer to jump right in Nashville’s lineup. The Herald’s Stephen Harris quoted a source earlier this week that Vesey will sign with his hometown team when he officially becomes a free agent on August 15.
Vesey, who would be a hot commodity on the free agent market, notched 56-48-104 totals in 70 games for the Crimson the last two seasons.
Last week, the B’s kept another one of their draft picks, Yale senior Robbie O’Gara, from going to free agency by signing him to a deal. He is currently playing for the Providence Bruins.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie first reported the Grzelcyk deal.
