The Boston Bruins have taken care of one of their more intriguing young forwards, reportedly reaching an extension with Marat Khusnutdinov on a deal that looks awfully friendly for the team.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported that the Bruins and Khusnutdinov were on the verge of a new agreement, after he first noted on Tuesday that a deal was close. Weekes later reported the extension carried an average annual value of around $4 million, while Emily Kaplan of ESPN said it was a three-year contract with a $3.95 million AAV.
For Boston, that’s a notable price to secure a player who has become a real piece of the forward group. Khusnutdinov has fit into Marco Sturm’s lineup over the last two seasons and has shown he can move around the top nine without looking out of place.
He got his first full-time NHL chance last season and made it count. In 77 regular-season games, Khusnutdinov posted 15 goals and 18 assists, finished at plus-12, and averaged 14:30 of ice time per night.
This season, he has picked up right where he left off. Entering Tuesday night’s game against the Dallas Stars in Texas, Khusnutdinov had two goals and five points. He also delivered in Saturday night’s win over the Kings in Los Angeles, breaking a 1-1 tie by knocking in a loose puck into an empty net to help seal a 4-1 victory.
Listed at 5-foot-10, Khusnutdinov doesn’t need size to make an impact. His speed and his knack for getting to the front of the net are what make him such a nuisance for opposing teams.
The extension also continues a smart bit of business for Bruins GM Don Sweeney. The deal he made to bring Khusnutdinov in from the Minnesota Wild at the 2025 trade deadline already looks like a strong one, with Justin Brazeau going to Minnesota in the same moving parts. Since then, Brazeau has moved on to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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The concern is not just the penalties themselves, but the broader impact they have had on Bostons five-on-five play. The Bruins can live with some risk if Zadorov is tilting the ice in their favor, yet there has been a growing sense that the balance has been off lately, enough to lead to disciplinary scratches and renewed questions about how much rope he should get. For a team trying to build on its strong start, the issue is no longer whether Zadorov matters, but whether the Bruins can keep tolerating the version of him they have been getting. [Read more 🡒]
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The rankings bump followed quickly, with Boston climbing in both major national power lists, but the more interesting part is what comes next. The Bruins now get to bring that momentum back home for a stretch that includes Nashville and San Jose, a chance to see whether this fast start is merely a strong opening or the beginning of something sturdier. [Read more 🡒]