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Report: Spooner, Bruins Settle On One-Year, $2.825 Million Deal

BOSTON (CBS) -- After an offseason filled with trade rumors, Ryan Spooner could be in Boston to stay for at least one more year. The Bruins and Spooner reportedly agreed to a new one-year, $2.825 million deal on Wednesday, the day of their scheduled arbitration hearing. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman first reported the deal on Twitter.

Spooner originally filed for arbitration on July 6. The Bruins protected him from the Expansion Draft, in which the Vegas Golden Knights selected defenseman Colin Miller. This only spurred prior trade rumors involving Spooner, who was a restricted free agent, but the B's ostensibly could not find the right deal.

The Bruins drafted Spooner in the second round (45th overall) in the 2010 NHL Draft, but the now-26-year-old forward has yet to reach his full potential on offense. His best season to date has been 2015-16, in which he scored 13 goals and 49 points in 78 games.

Spooner scored 11 goals and 38 points in 2016-17. He was a solid contributor on the power play with three goals and 15 assists. But his shortcomings continue to be on defense, as he's posted a career minus-15 rating - and for an offensive-minded player and power play specialist, he has a disappointing 51 percent career rate in puck possession.

Despite the criticism that Spooner has faced, some of it deserved, he remains in the fold for the Bruins and in the mix for a bottom-six role and an outside shot at a top-six winger role.

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