Old friend and new faces: Bruins 2023 Free Agency Tracker

Even after dumping salary by shipping forwards Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno to the Chicago Blackhawks, the Bruins remained strapped for cash at the start of NHL free agency.

But despite having to operate on a budget, Boston had a busy Saturday, arranging a reunion with an old friend and welcoming a few new faces.

Fan favorite Milan Lucic is lacing up the skates for one last go-around in Boston after agreeing to a one-year, $1 million base salary deal.

The team welcomed Lucic back with a highlight real of some of his greatest hits. Both literal and figurative.

In a video to social media, the 35-year-old enforcer told Bruins fans he “missed them so much” and that he was counting down the days to opening night in October.

The deal also includes the potential for Luic to earn $500k in performance bonuses, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.

Over the course of eight seasons and 566 games in Boston, Lucic scored 139 goals, tallied 203 assists, and racked up 1,580 hits.

A fellow member of the NHL’s 34-and-older club, James Van Riemsdyk, will join likely join Lucic on Boston’s bottom two forward lines. The Bruins agreed to terms with the lefty on a one-year, $1 million deal. The 14-year veteran is coming off his worst season as a full-time pro, only scoring 12 goals and 29 points in 61 games with the Flyers last year.

Van Riemsdyk is no stranger to the New England hockey scene. “JVR” spent his college years at the University of New Hampshire before being drafted with the 2nd overall pick in the 2007 NHL Draft.

Another New England college hockey product, Kevin Shattenkirk, will look to shore up the Bruins’ defense. After losing Connor Clifton to Buffalo, the Bruins hope the former BU Terrier can provide useful depth on the blue line. Shattenkirk, 34, joins fellow defenseman Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelyck and center Charlie Coyle as former Terriers making the trip down Comm Ave.

Former Boston College captain Patrick Brown was also inked to a two-year, $800,000 deal. The 6′1″ Brown split time between Philadelphia and Ottawa last year. The 31-year-old should bring a physical edge to the Bruins’ forward group.

24-year-old Morgan Geekie also projects to be in the mix for the bottom of Boston’s forwards and could replace Tomas Nosek as the 4th line center. Geekie spent the past two years with Seattle, registering 16 points and 43 assists in 142 games for the Kraken. Geekie’s deal is for two-years, $2 million dollars per year according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

The Bruins also inked 26-year-old foward Anthony Richard to a two-way contract.

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