The Boston Bruins have dipped their toes into the European free agent market, signing Jesper Froden to a one-year contract. The deal will be worth $842,500 for the 2021-22 season, leaving Froden as an unrestricted free agent again next summer. GM Don Sweeney released a statement on the signing:
The Bruins are very pleased to be adding Jesper to our organization. We have tracked Jesper’s growth in the SHL where he has proven to be highly productive, competitive, and a smart, two-way player. Jesper is very excited to join a competitive team with the opportunity to compete for a roster spot.
Froden, 26, spent the last two seasons in the SHL, scoring 40 points in 52 games this season with Skelleftea AIK. His 22 goals were good for third in the league, while he was 10th overall in points.
Undrafted, Froden is another undersized forward that will try his hand at the North American game. There’s certainly no guarantee he makes the Boston roster, but it’s another lottery ticket that the Bruins organization can use to fill out the depth chart.
Stop signing undersized guys. Bruins need bigger, stronger guys.
Bruins need to score, let’s see if this guy can do that. A bunch of big strong butchers like Nick Ritchie is not the answer.
I agree
Yep. Bigger, stronger guys who CAN’T SCORE aren’t a whole lot of good to us. Hall, Coyle, Smith, Ritchie, they’ve all got some size and are good offensive players. But one thing seared in my memory are the 1980s and 90s, when the league damn near had a mantra: We Need To Get A Cam Neely Type. Most, obviously, failed badly, and too many teams wasted 1st and 2nd round picks on big beefy WHL wingers who topped out as AHL fourth liners.