The Boston Bruins signed free agent forward Jarome Iginla to a one-year contract, months after he spurned the Bruins to sign with NHL rivals Pittsburgh.
Iginla’s contract could be worth up to $6 million, giving him a base salary of $1.8 million and carrying incentives for another possible $4.2 million in bonuses.
In March, Iginla, 36, turned down a trade from Calgary to Boston, opting instead to join his Canada teammate Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh.
Iginla notched five goals and six assists in 13 games for the Penguins and added four goals in eight assists in the playoffs.
But the Penguins were swept by the Bruins in the Eastern Conference championship series, Boston then falling to Chicago in the Stanley Cup finals.
Bruins assistant captain Patrice Bergeron was also a teammate of Iginla’s on Team Canada when they won gold at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
“It’s a great signing for us. He is a terrific player and leader. His experience will definitely help us. Looking forward to being his teammate,” Bergeron told ESPNBoston.com.
A native of Edmonton, Iginla was taken 11th overall in the 1995 NHL draft. He left the Flames as their all-time leader in goals (525), points (1,095) and total games (1,219).
Iginla’s signing was among a flurry of moves that signalled the start of the NHL free agent signing period, with the lower salary cap agreed in the contract that ended last season’s lockout not preventing a spate of deals.
Perhaps the most surprising move was the decision of longtime Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson to head to the Detroit Red Wings after 17 seasons in Ottawa.
The 40-year-old Swedish forward and the Red Wings agreed to terms on a one-year contract.
Alfredsson was the face of the Senators and the longest-serving captain in the NHL, having held that role since October of 1999.
The Senators selected Alfredsson in the sixth round of the 1994 draft and he departs Ottawa as the club’s all-time leader in games played (1,178), goals (426), assists (682) and points (1,108).
The Senators responded later Friday by acquiring four-time 30-goal scorer Bobby Ryan from Anaheim in a trade.
In exchange for Ryan, the Senators gave up forwards Jakob Silfverberg and Stefan Noesen as well as their first-round pick in the 2014 NHL draft.
In addition to Alfredsson, Detroit inked center Stephen Weiss to a five-year, $24.5 million deal.
Bruins land free agent Iginla
