The Boston Bruins signed free agent Matej Blumel amid an intense battle between several NHL teams. As the 25-year-old admitted himself, David Pastrnak was the pivotal factor in his decision to join the Bruins over Sidney Crosby‘s Pittsburgh Penguins.
Blumel, is coming off a sensational AHL season. After recording 39 goals and 33 assists for a total of 72 points, the former Dallas Stars prospect drew much interest around the league. Blumel won the Willie Marshall Award, as the AHL’s leading goal-scorer in the 2024-25 campaign.
There was no shortage of potential suitors for Blumel in the NHL. Drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 2019, Blumel has struggled to establish himself in the major league, but has become a consistent producer in the AHL. It seems his ceiling is fixed as a bottom-6 forward, though the Bruins will hope he can somehow exceed such expectations.
Pulling the strings
Blumel weighed every offer on the table—including the prospect of playing alongside Crosby in Pittsburgh. However, he ultimately leaned toward the Bruins, largely influenced by fellow Czech, Pastrnak.
“At the end of the day it came down to Bruins and Penguins,” Blumel admitted, via Jan Eichler on X. “They are rebuilding and there are some spots to be filled. I actually had a call with [Pastrnak] and he told me they would really love to have me there.”
Key signings and trades so far
The Bruins have been one of the busiest organizations during the 2025 free agency, making moves on almost every front. As the Day 1 of the open market comes to a close, we take a look at some of the most relevant signings.
- Trade for Viktor Arvidsson
- Matej Blumel signed to one-year, $875,000 deal
- Tanner Jeannot signed to five-year, $17M deal
- Sean Kuraly signed to two-year, $3.7M deal
- Michael Eyssimont signed to two-year, $2.9M deal