Paille/By S. Bradley

He barely reached 10 goals in 74 games played for the Bruins last season, despite playing for stretches on lines centered by the likes of Patrice Bergeron and Marc Savard.

But Daniel Paille was a leading performer on Boston’s solid penalty kill last season, and general manager Peter Chiarelli believes the 26-year-old winger is capable of even more contributions. So the GM re-signed Paille to a two-year deal worth $1.075 million per season Thursday.

(more…)

Sabourin

After I went to bed (heaven forbid), Bruins No. 3 goaltender Dany Sabourin packed up and left for a one-year deal with Washington.

Sabourin spent all of last season with the Providence (AHL) farm club (28-27-0, 2.67, .915) and then was one of Boston’s “Black Aces” during the NHL playoffs.

(more…)

Just 90 minutes after saying he wanted to leave spots for younger players to compete but might add another veteran forward down the line, Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli announced he signed free-agent forward Jeremy Reich.

Reich previously played for the Bruins 2006-08, but was a salary-cap casualty in 2008-09 and after clearing waivers spent the season with the Providence (AHL) farm club. Last season, he missed time with a broken wrist and then played for the New York Islanders’ Bridgeport (AHL) farm team.

If he makes the team, Reich could take some of the fighting pressure off Shawn Thornton, who had to battle in an unthinkable 21 bouts last season.

Thomas

Now that the odds his 2010-11 Bruins squad will feature a No. 2 goaltender making $5 million and a No. 1 taking home a little more than $1 million increased, Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli has to accept the market for a 36-year-old Tim Thomas just might not be what he thought it would be heading into the offseason.

With teams like San Jose, Atlanta and Tampa Bay addressing their goaltender needs in free agency today, there are fewer potential homes for Thomas. So Chiarelli is already wrapping his mind around a potential second season of Thomas and Tuukka Rask being together in Boston.

(more…)

Chiarelli

Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli made what he termed “preemptive moves” before today’s opening of the free agent market by acquiring Nathan Horton, drafting Tyler Seguin and re-signing Mark Recchi, Dennis Seidenberg and Johnny Boychuk.

So that all he did on “Free Agent Frenzy Day” was retain winger Daniel Paille didn’t leave the GM wanting. Chiarelli said he spoke to a couple agents and a couple GMs for talks that will probably be revisited over the next few days and weeks.

(more…)

Chris Mason has signed a two-year deal with Atlanta worth a total of $3.7 million.

So you can take the Thrashers off the list of teams looking for goaltending that might have been interested in Tim Thomas.

Thomas might have to stay

The Bruins lived with a $5 million back-up goaltender last spring and through the playoffs. Now it looks like they might be doing that again in the 2010-11 season.

Through three hours of “Free Agent Frenzy,” teams once thought to be suitors for Boston’s No. 2 netminder have found cheaper ways to fill their crease.

(more…)

Morris

While the Bruins, as expected, haven’t anted up for any unrestricted free agents as of 2 p.m. today, they made a move up the draft chart for 2011.

Defenseman Derek Morris, who Boston traded to Phoenix on deadline day last winter, re-signed with the Coyotes. That means the fourth-round pick Boston acquired now become a third-rounder.

Morris signed for four years at an average of $2.75 million after playing last year on a one-year deal worth $3.3 million he signed with the Bruins last summer.

As per 12:30 p.m., TSN reports Bob McKenzie was reporting that a Marc Savard-for-Robyn Regehr deal with Calgary was a “serious consideration for both clubs.” But Savard has not been asked by the Bruins to waive his no-trade clause and Regehr also has a no-movement clause.

Regehr, 30, is a left shot with three years left on his deal worth an annual cap hit of $4,020,000.

(more…)

Paille

According to TSN.ca writer Darren Dreger, winger Daniel Paille has re-signed with the Bruins for a two-year deal worth a total of $2.15 million — $1 million this season, $1.15 next.

(more…)

It’s eerily quiet now that the opening of free agency is less than 120 minutes away.

Obviously, last-minute re-signings are going to wait until the last minute. The Bruins and every other team have until 11:59 a.m. to get deals done with their own unrestricted free agents to keep them off the market, although the Bruins aren’t expected to do anything with Steve Begin or Miro Satan until the dust settles on higher-profile players.

The Bruins will also continue to try to retain Daniel Paille, who becomes a UFA at noon after he wasn’t tendered a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent. He can not officially re-sign until after noon.