Bruins Sign Khusnutdinov to Contract Extension

Khusnutdinov originally joined the Bruins, along with a returning Jakub Lauko and a 2026 sixth-round draft pick, from the Minnesota Wild in a deal that saw Justin Brazeau sent the other way at the 2025 NHL trade Deadline. At the time, Khusnutdinov had scored three career NHL goals and 11 total points in 73 career games, including two goals and seven points in 57 games that season. He scored three goals and five points in 18 games with the Bruins to close out the season before having a breakout year during the 2025-26 season. The Russian forward set career highs in goals (15), assists (18), points (33) and games played (77) with the Bruins and has proven capable of being played up and down the lineup as needed.

This season, Khusnutdinov has scored two goals and five points in 10 games for the Bruins while playing in a middle-six role for the club. He started the season alongside Fraser Minten and James Hagens on the team’s third line before he and Minten were essentially promoted to the team’s second line, joining Morgan Geekie with both Casey Mittelstadt and Elias Lindholm shifting down to play alongside James Hagens.

Khusnutdinov Signs Team-Friendly Extension

This contract offers very strong value for the Bruins, especially given that part of Khusnutdinov’s appeal is that he can play anywhere in the lineup and make an impact. If he continues to progress and become a full-time top-six winger, then the Bruins will have him on one of the biggest bargain deals in the NHL. If he ends up playing somewhere in the bottom-six, his deal will still represent good value, especially given the rising salary cap and the recent increase in contract costs around the NHL.

The Bruins have done a good job at retaining their own players on good-value deals over the years and this one appears to be no exception. In a world where bridge contracts seem few and far between, this is a textbook example of a deal that gives the player a little more security and the team a lot of value in the short term. It also gives Khusnutdinov a chance to cash in on a bigger deal down the line when this contract expires, right in what should be the prime of his career.

The youth movement has been alive and well in Boston this season and Khusnutdinov is one of the players benefiting the most from the opportunities being given to some of the younger players on the roster. So far, he’s done his part to prove that the trust is well-deserved.