The Boston Bruins and general manager Peter Chiarelli made the Tyler Seguin signing official today, hosting an afternoon conference call with the Boston media to announce the entry-level deal that will reportedly pay the second overall pick the maximum allowable salary and bonus package under the current CBA.

“These deals aren’t overly difficult to do,” Chiarelli said Tuesday after announcing that the team and Seguin had come to terms on a three-year, entry level contract. “There’s some nuances to them but there’s a body of work on the No. 2 picks that have signed prior to that and we felt it was time to sign Tyler.

“He’s obviously a high pick and he performed well in our development camp. We thought it was time to sign him to give him peace of mind and make him feel part of the organization.”

Seguin is the team’s highest draft selection since the Bruins took Joe Thornton first overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, and like Thornton, is an OHL product who brings elite offensive skills to the table even if he doesn’t have the San Jose center’s size.

“Following the development camp I told Tyler that we’d begin discussions to sign him,” Chiarelli said. “That would’ve been starting at the beginning of July. We had some discussions- there was no real urgency to it- we had some discussions with Tyler’s representative, Ian Pulver, and it happened that it finished in the last couple of days.”

The recent signings of Seguin and Blake Wheeler (to a one-year, $2.2 million pact) means that the Bruins are over the cap, but still within the 10 percent overage cushion allowable during the offseason, factoring in all contracts including that of injured forward Marco Sturm.

“Well right now we can ice a team with 13, 14 players, seven ‘d’ and two goalies as it stands putting Marco Sturm on LTI,” Chiarelli replied when asked about the team’s cap situation. “So right now we don’t have to do anything really, but we may still do something.”

Chiarelli acknowledged that he was pleased with the current Bruins roster as it stands, but is always looking to improve if the right window of opportunity presents itself.

“There are some spots for some young players to earn spots,” he said. “You’re never done with your roster and I can’t say definitively that we’re done with it.”

Although there’s a palpable buzz this offseason and the fact that fans came out in force to see the newest Bruin in Wilmington last month, Chiarelli didn’t want to overstate the perceived excitement level that exists around the team that came within a game of the conference finals for the second consecutive season.

“If I’m a fan and I see a young player like this that is an exciting young player and people saw how he played at the development camp, I’d be excited about seeing him play,” he said. “And we’ve got some other good additions, too. I guess what I can say is that I don’t focus completely on the excitement level, I just try to put a team on the ice that’s going to win the Stanley Cup.”

Chiarelli talked about having the ability to ice a good team right now with Sturm going on LTI, acknowledging that something would have to be done when he comes back if everything else stayed the same between now and then. However, he added that while he considers the various opportunities to make moves to improve the roster, no move was imminent or forthcoming.

The GM also discussed the probability of Seguin playing the wing this season given the team’s strength at center, but didn’t completely rule out the possibility he could play in the middle depending on how things play out.

In the meantime, fans can take comfort in knowing that Seguin is on board and a new era for the Bruins is about to get underway.

“He’s a terrific young player, so I think he’s going to open some eyes at camp,” Chiarelli said.

TSN.ca is reporting that the Boston Bruins have come to terms with top prospect Tyler Seguin on an entry-level contract.

Seguin, 18, who was the second overall selection in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, tied the No. 1 overall pick for Edmonton, Taylor Hall, for the OHL lead in points last season with 106.

The deal, which falls under the rookie maximum salary structure of $900,000 base per season, could be valued as high as $3.75 million if Seguin were to hit all achievable bonuses allowable under the current collective bargaining agreement.

Seguin, who drew Bruins fans in droves last month when he debuted at the team’s development camp in Wilmington, Mass., has generated the kind of B’s buzz not seen since 1997, when the team came away with  Joe Thornton and Sergei Samsonov in the first round.

“I know that I have to make the team, but just being here with the chance to skate and having the Bruins logo on the practice jersey is a nice start,” Seguin told hockeyjournal.com at the development camp. “It’s been a lot of fun. It’s great getting to know the coaches and all the guys here and it’s a good introduction to the organization. I’m looking forward to coming back to Boston in September and trying to win a spot with the Bruins.”

Although the recent Blake Wheeler signing and the report of Seguin coming to terms puts the Bruins over the salary cap limit, the team is allowed to be 10 percent over the cap before the start of camp. The team is currently within that cushion with a little over a month remaining before the rookies report for an early camp and exhibition preceding the veterans arriving.  The team  also has Marco Sturm’s long term injury exception in place to help offset the ceiling prior to his projected return in November, but something clearly will have to give in terms of a trade or major roster transaction at some point in order for the team to be cap compliant.

After the frenetic pace of skating and shooting drills yesterday, the Boston Bruins goalie prospects at Development Camp got to do more work on their skills with goalie coach Bob Essensa on Thursday morning.

“You get your legs under you a bit,” Matt Dalton told hockeyjournal.com after two one-hour sessions and a 20-minute scrimmage. “We didn’t do the stuff before that we did yesterday, so I feel a bit better. The legs are obviously a little sore, but it’s good to get more adapted and more adjusted to the shots. So, it was definitely a bit better today.”

At 23, the free agent out of Bemidji State University is in his second season with the Bruins, and saw time in the ECHL, AHL and was even recalled to the team for a brief spell in March when injuries hit, practicing with the team and seeing what life in the big leagues entails.

Dalton and the other three goalies, Adam Courchaine, Mike Hutchinson and Zane Gothberg, looked more settled and comfortable, and benefited from the work they did with Essensa.

Courchaine, a free agent signing out of the OHL is the “old man” of the group at age 21 as far as experience in the Bruins organization goes, but is preparing for his first professional season after graduating from the junior ranks.

“I think it’s obviously gotten a bit different every year,” Courchaine said, having been at all of the team’s development camps since they began having them in 2007. “You’re more comfortable coming in, you know everybody’s name, you know everybody. You can take on more of a leadership role; help the guys who are maybe a little more uncomfortable and kind of help them along, kind of bring the group together. I think it was nice the first few days, we didn’t do anything on the ice, so it gave us a chance to bond together off the ice.”

Michael Hutchinson, Boston’s third pick (77th overall) in 2008, is another young prospect with some upside after posting a strong season with the London Knights in 09-10. 

“I think that each year coming to these I feel more relaxed,” Hutchinson said. “This year I came in and right from the start, I felt really comfortable with the speed of the shots and the speed of everything, so I didn’t have that adjustment period for the first couple of days this year. I feel really good about the progress I’ve made so far.”

The biggest of Boston’s four netminders in attendance, “Hutch” is highly athletic, and when on his game, resembles Tuukka Rask in terms of style and substance. He does catch the puck with his right hand, which can pose an interesting challenge for shooters at times. During the scrimmage, however, defenseman Ryan Button scored the highlight goal of the day when he took the puck at the point, walked around Jordan Caron, and then roofed a shot that beat Hutchinson on the shortside (his glove hand) and knocked the water bottle into the air.

B’s assistant general manager Don Sweeney said that the goalies faced some of the toughest challenges after the camp’s first day of on-ice work. “They’re at the biggest disadvantage. They’ve been off their teams and haven’t seen shots n game situations for an extended period of time. They have to knock some rust off. The shooters have the advantage.”

Zane Gothberg, just a few short months ago facing high school shooters in his home state of Minnesota, immediately gained an appreciation for what Sweeney was talking about, going up against elite players in his peer group by global standards such as Tyler Seguin, Joe Colborne, Jordan Caron and  Jared Knight to name just a few.

“It just shows you that every ounce of energy you have left, you have to put it forward otherwise these guys are going to beat you clean,” he said on Tuesday. “Got snipped a couple of times out there but that was just cause mentally and physically I need to get to the next level. From here, it’s a good building block towards the future. Just hanging with the guys and soaking it all in.”

While Gothberg still has some amateur hockey left to him with the Fargo Force of the USHL and then the University of North Dakota either next season or the year after, Courchaine will be a rookie pro and is ready for the challenge ahead.

“I definitely have the biggest summer ahead of me so far, and wherever I have to play, I have to play well every night,” Courchaine said.

Ditto Dalton, who could form half of a tandem in Providence this season with the recently signed Nolan Schaefer. With Kevin Regan not qualified, an AHL job and possibly more is there for the taking, and Dalton seems the logical one in line to take advantage. His goals and objectives for the 10-11 campaign were pretty simple when queried about them.

“Playing as well as I can,” Dalton said. “I want to dominate at whatever level I’m at. Whether it’s NHL, AHL or wherever, I want to dominate and that’s my goal. I’ve had a taste of it now and kind of know what to expect, and I’m excited.”

Although Hutchinson is eligible to return for an overage year in the OHL, he made no bones about where he wants to be playing next season. “My goal is not to be back in junior hockey next year,” Hutchinson said. “So I’m going to do everything I can this summer to help me take the step to the next level.”

Dalton, Courchaine and Hutchinson are all under contract to the B’s, while Gothberg will not sign until he is ready to turn pro several years down the road at least.

In July 2009, Jordan Caron (first round) and Ryan Button (third round) were the top picks for the Boston Bruins in Montreal and attended their first Development Camp in Boston as wide-eyed rookies, new to the organization and experience.

One year later, they were two of the more “veteran” players in attendance.

Caron wore his easy smile and showed off his impressive hands and shot during the team’s first on-ice work, a pair of one-hour sessions on Wednesday afternoon.

“Just the offense stuff was much harder this year, I think,” Caron told hockeyjournal.com when asked about the biggest difference thus far from last year to this. “The pool stuff and the workout yesterday was harder than what we did last year. But, on ice, I think it’s pretty much the same. Same coaches, so it’s been much like last year.”

Button didn’t jump out at either of the sessions, but demonstrated solid positional play, good footwork and continues to develop under the radar a bit as a member of the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders.

“It’s just a lot more relaxed this year,” Button told hockeyjournal.com when asked about the biggest difference in his experienc the second time around. “I know the coaching staff, I know the trainer, I know the general managers, I just know everyone. I’m a lot more comfortable; I can help the younger guys out. They’re here for the first time just like I was last year, so I feel like I have the responsibility to help them out.”

The recurring theme for the players in 2010 has been the Boston heatwave, however.

“It’s much more hotter,” Caron said. “I remember last year we went to the Red Sox game and it was freezing out there, but this year, it’s unbelievable how hot it is.”

Button rolled his eyes and sighed heavily when the subject of the heat came up, especially when compared to his hometown of Edmonton, Alberta, where he’ll return to continue training in preparation for rookie and main camps.

“Ugh, it’s unbelievable,” he said. “I’ve never been somewhere so humid in my life. It’s night and day walking into– like, let’s say walking into the dressing room and then like yesterday for example, you go to do the run test. You walk outside and it’s literally like you just step on the sun– it’s so hot. But you know what? It’s just something you’ve gotta deal with.”

Caron didn’t hesitate when discussing the biggest things he needs to address in his quest to make the Boston roster out of camp in the fall. 

“I think I gotta work on my speed again and my explosion,” he said. “If I can do that, I think everybody here is gonna have his chance. So I gotta keep working out and going on the ice a lot to make sure I’m ready in September.” 

Both players will have opportunities to continue to lead by example this week and show the Bruins brass that they’re continuing to make positive strides in their development.

After a day-and-a-half of grueling physical effort(fitness testing and a water training/team-building session this morning), the Boston Bruins’ prospects finally got a chance to show off their hockey skills, taking the ice at the Ristuccia Memorial Arena in Wilmington, Mass. Wednesday afternoon.

To the surprise of no one, Tyler Seguin was the standout at both sessions, demonstrating his ability to make plays at top speed, create instant offense and make something happen everytime the puck touched his stick. One one particular 2-on-1 drill, he made a good pass to linemate Alexander Fallstrom. The shot was saved and kicked out, and Seguin grabbed it at an almost impossible angle and fired it into the far side.

“It was good; it was nice wearing the logo for the first time on the ice,” Seguin said after two one-hour sessions had wrapped up. “It was great to be out there with the Bruins logo on, even if it was a practice jersey. It reminded me of the effort and commitment it’s going to take to be a successful part of this organization.”

 Seguin was extremely relaxed and loose, bantering with the media and joking about the regular chants of his name echoing throughout the building as he lived up to the hype that preceded him in front of the packed house at Ristuccia. In short, it may have been his first-ever chance to show the dedicated Bruins faithful there on a weekday afternoon some of the things to come, but in addition to the immense potential he showed for hockey, his interactions with the media had the feel of a polished veteran with years in the NHL already under his belt.

“That was pretty intense,” Seguin said with a laugh after being queried about the morning session involving aquatic fitness and team-building. “I learned that the word for ‘harder’ is challenging, so I’m not going to say harder again in my life.”

Jared Knight, the team’s second selection, 32nd overall in last month’s draft, expanded on Seguin’s comments about the pool time.

“That was something new,” Knight told hockeyjournal.com. “We were in the pool for about three hours today, treading water and it was something new. And, to go on the ice after was definitely tough, so I’m glad the day’s over.”

Knight, who scored 36 goals for the London Knights last season after being diagnosed with diabetes and getting treatment at midseason which allowed him to kick in the afterburners over the second half, showed off the impressive shooting skills GM Peter Chiarelli and amateur scouting chief Wayne Smith talked about at the draft, ripping three consecutive shots past Zane Gothberg at one point. His one-man show of lightning release and pinpoint accuracy showed why he developed into one of the OHL’s most lethal scorers last season.

“I think the killer instinct has just gotta be in you,” he said when asked if the pure finishing skills are born are learned. “If you want that puck bad enough, you’re gonna get it. I think the shooter aspect comes from just working in the basement shooting pucks over and over with my dad, shooting on the shooter tutor downstairs, things like that.”

A native of Battle Creek, Michigan, his minor team there was called the Bruins, so it seemed a nice fit for Knight to be a part of the NHL’s Bruins.  “A couple of years ago, I was a Bruin, and now I’m a Bruin again, so it’s awesome,” he said. “I came up here a couple of weeks ago and tested with them (the Bruins). I love Boston, and flying home, I told myself, this is where I want to be drafted and so I was drafted by them and I’m glad to be here.”

Knight’s positive experience in Boston before the drafted was aided by the fact that he was in town with old Detroit Compuware teammate (and 18th overall selection to Nashville Austin Watson) to go through the pre-draft interview and testing process. “It was great,” he said of being there with Watson. “It helped out because I hadn’t flown before by myself, so he was there to kind of help me get on the plane and get my seat and all that, so it was good. And, I hadn’t seen him in a while, so to come down here and test with him and meet with him, go to dinner with him was pretty cool.”

Knight wasn’t flashy, but had a solid first session. The third of the OHL trifecta of players from the first two rounds of Boston’s draft, Ryan Spooner of the Peterborough Petes, had a standout day as well, impressing onlookers with his speed, creativity and willingness to take the puck hard to the net.

“One of my biggest strengths is (creativity),” Spooner told hockeyjournal.com. “It’s something I rely on and I’ll try to use at the next level.”

Spooner, who lost significant time last year with a broken collarbone suffered in his first game after the CHL Top Prospects exhibition in mid-January, is realistic in his approach to the development camp and rookie/veteran main camp in September.

“First of all, I just want to make a good impression here,” Spooner said. “Secondly, if things don’t work out here, I’ll be back in a Petes uniform and I’m just going to try to make my team succeed as much as I can, try to get to the playoffs, maybe win a (Memorial Cup). I don’t know; the team’s going to be pretty strong next year.”

Spooner also talked briefly about new Peterborough GM Dave Reid, a former Bruin who was a big star for the Petes as a player when he was drafted by Boston. “I talked to him briefly at the draft,” Spooner said. “I’m aware of the connection and I’m looking forward to playing for him next year and having a chance to talk to him more about his experiences in Boston with the Bruins.”

If first impressions mean much, then all three of Boston’s picks in the first two rounds showed off the kind of talent and potential that the Bruins saw in them. All three face an uphill climb, but at least among their peers, they were clear standouts and looked every bit as worthy of the praise they received in the runup to the draft and beyond.

Marshfield, Mass. native David Warsofsky was kicking back with family taking in a soccer match on television last Sunday when he got a call that was a bombshell, but altered the Boston University junior and standout defenseman’s summer plans and made him one happy camper in the process.

“I was actually at my brother’s house watching the world cup game with my nephews and my advisor, Bob Murray, called me,” Warsofsky said recently. “Right when he called me I knew something was up because he doesn’t call me every day, especially with the draft going on today. I didn’t know what was going on. He said that my rights had been traded to the Bruins and my heart kind of just dropped because living in Boston my whole life and wanting to play for the Bruins was a lifelong dream so I couldn’t believe it when I actually heard it.”

At 5-foot-9 and about 172 pounds, Warsofsky is undersized to play the defense position, but he’s an outstanding skater and puckhandler who shined for Team USA in last winter’s gold medal performance at the World Junior (under-20) tournament in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The year before, Warsofsky skated for the Terriers squad who won the 2009 NCAA championship in Washington D.C. His skill and success as a member of the U.S. National Team Development Program prompted the St. Louis Blues to select him at the top of the fourth round in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

“I consider myself more of an offensive defenseman but being at BU and working with [strength coach] Mike Boyle, [I've] just been trying to get a lot stronger,” he said. ”I know a lot of people kind of question my defensive ability so I take that and put it in my back pocket and try to work with that as much as I can. I think offense comes more naturally to me than defense so I’ve been trying to work on my defense ability and get stronger and work on my overall game.”

When GM Peter Chiarelli swapped Warsofsky’s rights for center Vladimir Sobotka, he was essentially trading similar players in size, style and substance, albeit different positions. And, the Blues benefit in the short term because they are getting a forward with three years of NHL and AHL experience who can step in right away and help the team. Warsofsky will return to Commonwealth Ave. for at least one more year, and after that, is likely to need some apprenticeship time in the minors.

“Right now I’m definitely excited about my junior year at BU,” said Warsofsky. ”We have a few freshmen coming in, some strong players. We had a tough season last year so whenever you have those tough seasons you want to get back and get back on number one [ranking in the country]. Right now I’m just looking forward to Bruins Development Camp and getting back to BU and work at bringing Boston University back to number one.”

An enduring image of Warsofsky’s last season, beyond his skating around the Saskatoon ice with a World Jr. gold medal around his neck, was that of him grabbing now fellow B’s prospect Tommy Cross by the cage/facemask and yanking him around the ice at the front of the net, even though he gave away at least five inches and about 30 pounds to the former second-round Boston pick in ‘07.

That kind of feistiness and refusal to back down, when coupled with his impressive skating and overall skill level, could be a strong indicator that in time, Warsofsky will not be denied in his quest to fulfill his dream of playing for his hometown Bruins.

The Bruins grabbed a pair of defenders in the final round with Maxim Chudinov and Zach Trotman.

Chudinov is Yuri Alexandrov’s teammate at Cherepovets and a 20-year-old with two years’ experience in the KHL. He’s another undersized defender, but is a very good skater and plays an edgy, nasty game according to Kyle Woodlief of the Red Line Report. He scored  six goals and 14 points in 47 KHL games with Severstal, which is pretty decent production for that league. He is a right-handed shot.

Trotman is more of a stay-at-home player with size (6-3, 195) who can move the puck and brings a good work ethic and an effective physical approach. He scored two goals and eight points in 36 games with the Lake Superior State Lakers of the CCHA and is a native of Michigan, bringing the total of Michiganders taken by the Bruins today to three (Knight, Florek).

The Bruins got a pretty good value pick with Thief River Falls (Minnesota) high school goalie Zane Gothberg with the 165th overall selection.

Hockeyjournal.com profiled Gothberg recently and here is the writeup on him:

Zane Gothberg, G Thief River Falls (Minn.) HS

Highly athletic and solid character goalie with upside is a major project because he comes from the Tim Thomas school of helter-skelter netminding, which doesn’t mean he won’t be successful in the pros, but does grade him down a bit. He’s a pure instinct/reflex goalie which has served him well at the Minnesotahigh school level and earned him a look at the U.S. World Jr. evaluation camp next month, but he has a long way to go.

Although the comments from Central Scouting’s Al Jensen on NHL.com seem counterintuitive to the aforementioned lack of technique, there are multiple reports that Gothberg will need a lot of refinement and seasoning before he’s ready to challenge for an NHL job (Fargo of the USHL holds his rights, and he could play there before going to the University of North Dakota).

Central does like him, however, ranking him sixth among all North American goalies. Other scouting reviews have Gothberg significantly lower in their rankings, so it will be interesting to see where NHL clubs have him.

“This kid is very good. He impressed me the first time I saw him,” Jensen said to NHL.com. “He’s very controlled. He is a lot like Michael Lee (selected by the PhoenixCoyotes in the third round in 2009) from the previous year, only quicker. I like his quickness and net coverage. I like his strength. He’s smart and reads the play well. There’s not a lot that I don’t like about his game. As the years go by, he’s going to be a very good NHL goaltender.”

The Boston Bruins took another overaged forward in the fifth round, 135th overall, of the 2010 draft with the selection of Northern Michigan winger Justin Florek.

The Marquette, Michigan native is 6-4, 195 pounds and scored 12 goals, 35 points in 41 games this year. He is a product of the U.S. NTDP and is a May, 1990 birthdate. He was first eligible for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Max Giese, who covers the USHL and midwest NCAA for Red Line Report, saw Florek and feels that he’s starting to come into his own after filling out his lanky frame and improving his overall game. Skating is only average, but he has good puck skills and has become a solid two-way performer for Northern Michigan.

The Boston Bruins selected Vancouver Giants  overage left wing Craig Cunningham in the fourth round, 97th overall, in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

A September 1990 birthdate listed at 5-9, 175-pounds, Cunningham is another undersized, but skilled forward who scored 37 goals and 97 points, leading the Giants in scoring.

This pick continues the trend the Bruins started last year when they took ‘89 birthdate Lane MacDermid (Hartford, Conn.) in the fourth round of the 2009 draft.

“Even though he was eligible two years ago, he’s closer to only having been passed over in one draft because he’s one of the younger guys in his draft class,” said Mike Remmerde, Red Line Report WHL scout. “He was really small in his draft, I think he was closer to 5-8, but he grew an inch or two, and his speed got a lot better. He was one of the most dangerous offensive guys in the Western League this year.

Despite his size, he sticks his nose in there and competes, he’s not afraid of going into traffic. I’m not quite sure what he’ll be in the NHL, but with his speed and energy, the Bruins might see him as someone with some second-line upside.”