Bruins' Rich

  Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today that forward Rich Peverley has signed a three-year contract extension. The deal is worth $9.75 million, with an annual cap hit of $3.25 million beginning next year, which takes him through the 2014-2015 season.

  Peverley is in the last year of his existing contract, but stressed that this is a deal worth getting done early.

“This is a place that I want to be and there's a lot of good people in this organization and obviously, winning last year, you want to be part of a winning organization.” Peverley said.

"It feels good to not have to worry about the contract on your mind the whole year. But some guys play better in those situations and I've done this actually before, signing a year earlier," he continued. "It does help, but it doesn't change the goals in mind that you have."

  The 29 year-old Kingston, Ontario native has gone from zero to hero in the last four years. He was invited to training camp with the Nashville Predators in 2006 after battling through the ECHL and AHL, and leading the St. Lawrence Saints three times in the ECAC. Peverley had been trying to prove himself at the professional level for quite some time before finally he was noticed in a big way. He was surprisingly waived by the Predators in 2008-2009, and landed in Atlanta as a part of the Thrashers’ organization. Peverley was solid for the Thrashers as he registered a career high in points in 2009-2010 as he tallied 22 goals and 33 assists for 55 points in 82 games.

  After two and a half years with the Thrashers, the Bruins took notice in their efforts to build a complete team and win Lord Stanley’s Cup.

"Actually, he was at St. Lawrence so it was close by Ottawa. So I remember seeing him quite a bit,” said Chiarelli, who was an assistant GM with the Senators before moving to Boston. "He was skilled. He was a light player, though, back then. I think he just acquired that part of his game -- not necessarily being a heavy player but just competing and getting in the right spots and winning his share of puck battles.

"I really started to notice that his first year in Atlanta. We had seen him a little bit with Nashville. But I really started seeing that coming out (in Atlanta). When he was on the ice, I considered him to be a dangerous player. That's kind of when I started noticing that."

  Peverley was acquired by the B’s in Feruary 2010, and appeared in 23 regular season games with the Bruins notching 4 goals and 7 points. In the postseason, Peverley scored 4 goals and 12 points with a +6 rating through 25 games to fulfill his ultimate dream. All the hard work had finally paid off.


  Though his point production in the regular season didn’t match his performance in Atlanta, he was clutch in the playoffs as he doubled his points total. This year Peverley has started off right having scored twice in the last two games of three in the early season. Bruins GM Chiarelli points to his work ethic and character as the primary reason for the early extension, and puts full faith in confidence in Peverley as a point producing forward for his club going forward.

"Well, I really think he can score … I found last year he didn't score as much as I would've thought. He contributed in a lot of ways and he actually scored some very timely goals," Chiarelli said. "I feel he can score more with greater frequency. And he recognizes that, also. He thinks he can, too. So I think he's comfortable now, he knows his role and I think he'll be able to finish more."

  Peverley plays with great speed and vision. He is visibly one of the hardest working players on the ice, which was proven once again as forward Nathan Horton was eliminated from the playoffs with injury. Peverley stepped in on the top line with Milan Lucic and David Krejci in Horton’s relief, and help tie and clinch the series with two goals.

"Obviously he made an instant impact when he jumped in in Game 4 last year, having the two big goals. It just goes to show what kind of player he is," said forward Milan Lucic. "He can play any role on this team and he's become a very valuable player for us 5-on-5, on the power play. He's got that skill. And on the penalty kill, he's got those smarts to be reliable defensively."

  In 279 NHL games Peverley has scored 62 goals and 91 assists for 153 points. Peverley’s hard work and determination has landed him a new contract, and with the regime he’s signed up with it may just well land him another Stanley Cup in the near future.

“Yeah, you know, you look back, but I don't really like looking back too much.” Peverley said in reflection of his career. “ I was given an opportunity in Atlanta that gave me a great opportunity to get my foot in the door and I came here and was lucky to fit in on a team and found a role with a team, and with a great team.”

  Peverley was a great addition last year for the Bruins and truly should have been on everyone’s radar at that point. The amount that was given up for Peverley in the trade, and the number at which he has been re-signed for speak great volumes of the feisty forward, but it is his play on the ice that speaks for itself. Peverley is set to reap a lot of success in Boston, and now a good deal of wealth with it.

- Kendall Grubbs