Bruins Sign Ivan Ivan To One-Year Contract Extension

The Boston Bruins have announced the signing of forward Ivan Ivan to a one-year, two-way contract extension. The deal carries a league-minimum NHL salary of $850K. Puckpedia has reported that the contract carries a $150K AHL salary and a $190K guarantee. Ivan is represented by Allan Walsh of Octagon Hockey.

Ivan, 23, was acquired by the Bruins on Saturday in exchange for 2021 first-round pick Fabian Lysell. The team moved quickly to re-sign their newly-acquired forward, taking one less pending free agent off the board before a crucial open market period for the club beginning on Wednesday.

Once a star in the QMJHL for the Cape Breton Eagles, Ivan has played the last three seasons at the professional level in the Avalanche organization. In 2023-24, he had a strong rookie season for an undrafted player, scoring 12 goals and 31 points in 67 games for the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. That put him in a position to push for a call-up the following season, and he ended up skating in 40 NHL games for the Avalanche, scoring eight points.

While Ivan’s first stint in the NHL suggested he could have some sort of future at the game’s highest level, it should be noted that he played a very limited role in his NHL games, averaging just 10:02 time on ice per contest. The lack of consistency inherent in being a top call-up option seemed to have an impact on Ivan’s play at the AHL level, as he only scored 12 points in 36 games, never quite building a rhythm with the Eagles.

As the Avalanche improved their depth for 2025-26, Ivan found those call-up opportunities and NHL games harder to come by. He was limited to just nine NHL games in 2025-26. But while Ivan saw his NHL opportunity decline significantly, he did resume playing at a solid level in the AHL. He scored 11 goals and 26 points in the regular season before going on a stellar playoff run, producing 15 points in 17 games as the Eagles went on a run to the Western Conference Final.

Ivan’s form on Colorado’s playoff run likely piqued the Bruins’ interest. He’s shown he can support their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, while also serving as a viable call-up option for Boston. What remains to be seen is whether Ivan will be able to secure a more permanent spot on an NHL roster with the Bruins. Now signed for next season, Ivan will get the chance to answer that question starting in training camp in the fall.