The Boston Bruins and restricted free agent center Trent Frederic have avoided arbitration in the nick of time, settling on a two-year contract at a $2.3M AAV on Tuesday, as reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Frederic’s arbitration hearing was scheduled for Tuesday and the two sides exchanged their numbers Sunday, with the Bruins offering two years at $1.4M and Frederic asking for one year at $2.9M.
Frederic’s new two-year deal will take him to unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2025. Frederic, 25, is coming off the best season of his career by far, having busted out for 17 goals and 31 points in 79 games as part of a stacked Boston team that set an NHL single-season record with 65 wins. With Frederic on the ice at 5-on-5 last season, the Bruins outscored opponents 47-23 and generated 53.48% of the scoring chances.
Frederic primarily played the wing on the third line last season, centered by Charlie Coyle, but Frederic’s role could expand this season. Top center Patrice Bergeron has retired and No. 2 center David Krejci remains an UFA, pondering his hockey future. As of now, Coyle will elevate to the top six, meaning one of Frederic or offseason addition Morgan Geekie could get a look in the No. 3 center role. It would be a big jump in responsibility for the agitator Frederic, who played just 11:55 per game last season, which was a career-high in average TOI. He has been one of the most efficient producers in the league of late, however. Among 436 forwards who logged at least 300 minutes at 5-on-5 last season, Frederic sat 65th in goals per 60, between Brady Tkachuk and Flip Chytil.
The Bruins selected Frederic in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft, 29th overall, and he debuted in the NHL in 2018-19.
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