Bruins sign Nick Wolff, Kyle Keyser to contract extensions originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Bruins are in the midst of an important offseason. The organization has hired Jim Montgomery as the new head coach, and captain Patrice Bergeron is rumored to return to the team. Many star players on the Bruins are currently recovering from surgeries.
The next two weeks are particularly busy for the team. The 2022 NHL Draft begins on Thursday, July 7 and the Bruins Development Camp begins Monday, July 11.
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On Tuesday, the Bruins announced they signed defenseman Nick Wolff and goaltender Kyle Keyser to one-year, two-way contract extensions with annual cap hits of $750,000.
Wolff, 25, originally signed with Boston as a free agent in March of 2020. The former University of Minnesota-Duluth captain contributed to UMD’s national championships in 2018 and 2019 during his sophomore and junior seasons.
Over his four-year playing career at UMD, Wolff played in 156 games, scoring 14 goals and recording 39 assists for a total of 53 career points. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound defenseman notched a whopping 233 penalty minutes for the Bulldogs. He finished his collegiate career with a plus-59 rating.
Wolff has played 58 games for the Providence Bruins from 2020 to 2022. During that span, Wolff has earned ten assists and a plus-8 rating. He also scored a goal in the 2021-22 AHL playoffs. During the 2020-21 season, the Eagan, Minnesota native also played 18 games with DVTK Jegesmedvek in Slovakia, where he recorded three goals and two assists.
With Charlie McAvoy, Matt Grzelcyk and Mike Reilly all missing from the blue line at the beginning of the 2022-23 season due to offseason surgeries, Wolff has a chance to make his NHL debut with the B’s this year. The Bruins currently lack a formidable enforcer, and Wolff could be the man to fill that role.
Keyser, 23, originally signed with the Bruins as a free agent back in the fall of 2017. Appearing in 44 games for the Providence Bruins from 2019 to 2022, the Coral Springs, Florida native has recorded a 2.79 goals-against average, a .906 save percentage and one shutout.
Keyser has also played 24 games in the ECHL for the Atlanta Gladiators (2019-20), the Jacksonville IceMen (2020-21), and Maine Mariners (2021-22). In the ECHL, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound netminder has posted a 2.64 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage.
With fellow American Jeremy Swayman and Swede Linus Ullmark in net for the Boston Bruins, it is unlikely that fans will see Keyser get ice time in the NHL this season. Last December, he was recalled to Boston but did not see any action. Keyser provides the Bruins with important depth at the goaltender position as they have failed to draft a goalie in the last four years.
Wolff and Keyser are to be expected to be at Bruins Development Camp for what will be their fourth time. Development Camp will be vital for the two players as coaches assess their readiness for the NHL. The Bruins Development Camp will take place from Monday, July 11 to Friday, July 15 at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton, Mass.
