Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day!
The Bruins have had some pretty decent success with NCAA free agents in the past, and they’ve decided to try to dip into that pool again.
The team announced this morning that they’ve signed defenseman Drew Bavaro, most recently of Notre Dame, to a one-year entry-level contract.
The deal carries a cap hit of $867,500 at the NHL level.
Rather than burn a year off the deal, Bavaro will head to Providence on an amateur tryout agreement for the remainder of this season, giving the B’s a chance to see what he can do.
Bavaro will turn 24 in mid-June and is a right-shot defender. He’s 6’3” and just over 200 pounds.
He has had a pretty unique journey to this point.
He was born in Florida but attended both Cardigan Mount School in New Hampshire and Lawrence Academy, then played for the Neponset Valley River Rats.
That was followed by a stint in the BCHL, two years of college hockey at Bentley, then two years of college hockey at Notre Dame.
Bavaro wasn’t drafted, leaving him free to sign with any team.
He put up 16G-23A-39PTS totals in 72 games across two seasons with the Fighting Irish.
In the immediate future, he’ll provide some valuable blue line depth for Providence.
With Jakub Zboril dealt and Mason Lohrei in the NHL, the P-B’s have seven defensemen on the roster, including Ryan Mast, who was recalled from ECHL Maine last weekend.