It’s been a month since free agency opened and the Boston Bruins brought in Will Borgen and Connor Clifton. 

There are 59 days until they are back on TD Garden ice for the regular season. 

The Bruins are still in the bottom half of the league in terms of contract efficiency. They’re up from last year and close to the halfway point, but they remain behind six teams in the division. 

The Providence Bruins made a signing, and a former Bruin is joining Jakub Lauko in their home country. 

Elsewhere around the league, two three-year deals yesterday! The Sharks’ busy week continued after making Macklin Celebrini the highest-paid player in the league, and they are keeping a Massachusetts native out on the West Coast. The Penguins started the day out with a 29-year-old forward, taking care of business after a 42-point (16-26–42) year. 

There’s also more from Alexander Nikishin, the NHLPA Rookie Showcase, 1C questions in Detroit (surprised?), and Celebrini contract comparables. 

Happy Saturday, catch up on Bruins and league news in today’s Daily Bean:

Boston Bruins

CONTRACT EFFICIENCY: The Bruins ranked No. 18 in contract efficiency, per Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic. There were three contracts that landed in the A-range, a bunch more in the B-range, but two forwards were graded a D+. 

For The Athletic’s piece, including the full rankings and graphics including the model values and positive value percentages, click here. 

Providence Bruins (via 𝕏): The P-Bruins signed forward Max Andreev to a one-year AHL deal yesterday. The 27-year-old finished with 62 points (19-43–62) with the Maine Mariners last season.

NHL News & National Hockey Now

San Jose Hockey Now: After signing Macklin Celebrini, Mike Grier said that he was “pretty close” on a deal with RFA Collin Graf. Yesterday, the Sharks announced a three-year deal for Graf, which carries a $4.25 million cap hit. 

Graf, a native of Lincoln, MA, has 59 points (26-33–59) in 121 career games. Last season, he broke out for 46 (21-25–46) in 81 games. 

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Kyle Dubas also took care of some business yesterday. Tommy Novak signed a three-year deal with a $4.65 million cap hit. The extension kicks in for the 2027-28 season and keeps him in Pittsburgh until the end of 2029-30. Dan Kingerski has full analysis on the Penguins’ somewhat surprising move. 

RG: Alexander Nikishin spoke with Daria Tuboltseva and opened up about the trade rumors, as well as his pending contract. The 24-year-old defenseman is staying out of the negotiations, but he hopes that the numbers keep going up. 

“Earlier, when asked about rumors that he wants $8 million per season on his new deal, the defenseman smiled and said: ‘More.’”

ESPN: Emily Kaplan spoke with some of the NHL prospects at the NHLPA Rookie Showcase. They were quick questions, like what they get chirped about, their pregame routine, and memorable rookie moments. 

James Hagens was there, and three of his answers landed in the piece. 

Florida Hockey Now: Salaries are on the rise in the NHL. The Panthers don’t have to worry, though; they already have their high-end players locked in long-term. They have 13 players under contract through the 2029-30 season. 

Their highest-paid player is Aleksander Barkov, who makes $10 million a year. Brady Tkachuk can sign a contract extension next summer, and he will most likely command more than the captain. 

Detroit Hockey Now: If Dylan Larkin is traded, who will the Red Wings’ top center be? Max Smith dives into some of the names, both inside the organization and outside, but that gets tricky when an offseason need was a true No. 2 center. 

Sportsnet: How does Macklin Celebrini’s contract compare to Connor McDavid’s first one? What about Sidney Crosby’s? Sportsnet’s Sonny Sachdeva breaks down how the five-year, $94 million deal stacks up against the first non-entry-level contracts signed by some of the faces of the league. 

HC Dynamo Pardubice (via 𝕏): Former Bruin Tomas Nosek signed a deal with HC Dynamo Pardubice in his home country of Czechia. Nosek played in Boston from 2021-23 and recorded 35 points (10-25–35) in 141 games. He totaled 120 points (47-73–120) in 514 NHL games and won the Stanley Cup in 2025. 

Tomáš Nosek se vrací domů! 🏡

Zkušený útočník odešel z Pardubic do NHL v roce 2014. Od té doby nasbíral v nejlepší hokejové lize světa přes 500 startů. V roce 2025 získal Stanley Cup. Nyní se vrací tam, kde to všechno začalo. pic.twitter.com/dDwixfVJ07

— HC DYNAMO PARDUBICE (@HCPCE) July 31, 2026

Bruins Offseason Schedule

Friday, September 11: Rookie Camp opens – Warrior Ice Arena, Brighton, MA

Sun, Sept 13-Mon, Sept 14: Prospects Showcase – LECOM Harborcenter, Buffalo, NY

Wednesday, September 16: Training Camp opens – Warrior Ice Arena, Brighton, MA

Sunday, September 20: First preseason game – TD Garden, Boston, MA

Tuesday, September 29: Home opener – TD Garden, Boston, MA

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