11:00 AM: The Bruins have now officially announced the agreement, confirming the terms that were first reported by Friedman.
9:00 AM: The Boston Bruins have reached an agreement on a new contract with RFA forward Trent Frederic before today’s scheduled arbitration hearing. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Bruins have agreed with Frederic on a two-year, $2.3MM AAV contract extension. According to Bally Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland, the deal has a $250k signing bonus in its first year. 
The contract comes closer to Frederic’s desired AAV (he had filed for a one-year, $2.9MM deal) at the cost of an extra year of term, something the Bruins filed for albeit at a $1.4MM AAV.
In our more detailed breakdown of Frederic’s arbitration case, we projected “Frederic’s likely award very near to but likely slightly above the midpoint of $2.15MM,” which is exactly where this settlement came in.
At a $150k higher rate than the midpoint of the two parties’ filings, the Bruins have rewarded their second 2016 first-round pick for his breakout 2022-23 campaign. Frederic flew past his career highs to register 17 goals and 31 points in 79 games last season even while averaging just under 12 minutes of ice time per night.
As mentioned in our breakdown, Frederic’s possession-based metrics indicate his production this season isn’t likely to be that of a one-year wonder, although one does wonder how he’d hold up if exposed to a more demanding role requiring him to handle more substantial minutes.
Frederic doesn’t boast a ton of offensive skill but as a six-foot-three, 214-pound forward with the versatility to play center or along the wing Frederic is the sort of forward who plays with an edge and provides enough scoring touch to be coveted by many clubs. This settlement marches Frederic to the unrestricted free agent market in two year’s time, and if he can seize the significant opportunity in front of him he could be lined up for a major payday at that point.
With Boston’s top two centers from last season in Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci out the door, Frederic could potentially get the opportunity to play center for one of Boston’s scoring lines, potentially slotting next to a star such as David Pastrnak or Brad Marchand. Although players such as Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle are undoubtedly going to be first in line for those opportunities, Frederic could get his chance, which would be a potentially career-defining opportunity.
This two-year contract provides Frederic with a significant opportunity, but also heightened expectations. Now paid more than double the $1.05MM cap hit he played last season on, Frederic can no longer be the physical fourth-line presence he was earlier in his career. He’ll need to be more, and if he can do so he could stand to make quite a bit of money in two year’s time thanks to this new contract.
As for where this leaves the Bruins, they now have just over $3.1MM in cap space left over, and still await an arbitration award in netminder Jeremy Swayman’s case. Swayman had his arbitration hearing on July 30th and therefore should have his award come in today, meaning the Bruins are close to reaching cost certainty for the team’s expected 2023-24 roster.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Definitely pros & cons here. The biggest con being Boston (a cap-strapped team) is now paying a bottom-6 guy with replaceable skills over $2 million a year. But a pro being he did score 17 goals last year & is almost the only physical presence they have anymore (enter Milan Lucic.) But another con is Frederic’s shot % for those 17 goals was over 14% so that probably won’t happen again.
But, Frederic also had 6 of his 17 goals as game winners! That’s a clutch player and shows future upside. I think this deal is a steal, especially when noted that the Bruins are paying Charlie Coyle $4.5M for similar goal scoring and about five minutes more ice time per game.
Ehh… Coyle is a middle-6 forward with skills that Freddy doesn’t possess (faceoffs, PK, assists) so while he is likely overpaid, he also brings a bit more to the table on a regular basis than Freddy does. Like the article mentions: Trent Frederic in a limited role can shine, but if they push him higher in the lineup it could get ugly quick with his limited skillset.
Coyle is 5.25 terrible overpayment for a 3rd line center, nothing but a big tease
Frederic isn’t centering one of the top 2 lines. He may not even play center at all. More likely to play wing
It’s just more prof they have nothing down in the AHL to take the place of a bottom 6 guy who had a career year w/ a team that that had a lot of that I’d be surprised if he ever hit more then 10g again
They need to make some kinda cost cutting deal like DeBrusk and Griz or Forbort because they have absolutely no chance of competing without atop six center (maybe the can convince Krejci to comeback for one more yr)not to mention they still need to pay Swayman
Could of used the money elsewhere..what a waste bottom 6 guy ya 13 forward some nights…
Bottom 6 forward propped up by the talent around him.
Lesser talent now playing with Lucic will get your Pims up nothing else.
Never mind the “bottom six” stuff. It’s not that I’d have given $2.3 MM for Frederic two years ago; I wouldn’t have given 20 cents for him. A couple years back, he looked like a no-talent cementhead who by rights had a career ceiling as a third-liner in Providence. And then 2022 came around, and while he didn’t light up the score sheet, he became more defensively responsible, and looked like a serviceable fourth liner. And then there was last year, and his defense improved a little more, and he was putting pucks in the net, and that was still playing less than 12 minutes a game and zero power play time.
That kind of steady improvement I like. You can see him on a third line now, and for all we know he’ll continue to improve. $2.3 MM doesn’t suck for what Frederic brings to the table right now, and if he turns into a legitimate 20-goal scorer, it will be a steal.
Not a chance for 20 goals..not even 20 points…
I’m guessing you missed the part where Frederic got 31 points last season, huh. You seem real invested in shouting that he’s a bum. What’d he do, sleep with your sister or something?
Yah but not much talent after Marchy and pasta..