Iginla comes full-circle from trade deadline, signs one-year deal with Bruins

BOSTON – Jarome Iginla is finally a member of the Boston Bruins.

Three months after spurning the Bruins’ advances at the trade deadline to choose the Pittsburgh Penguins, the long-time Calgary Flames captain signed a one-year deal with Boston. It’s worth US$6 million with performance bonuses.

The Bruins swept Iginla and the Penguins in the Eastern Conference final, but next year’s team in Boston will have a much different look than the one that lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup final. Nathan Horton signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tyler Seguin and Rich Peverley were traded to the Dallas Stars.

Knowing he was losing Horton and not expecting Jaromir Jagr to be back, general manager Peter Chiarelli said it was his goal to “reconstruct” the right side of his forward lines. Loui Eriksson came back from the Stars, and adding Iginla was the next step.

Iginla spent 15-plus seasons with the Flames before being traded to the Penguins at the deadline this past season. The 36-year-old had five goals and six assists in 13 regular-season games, then four goals and eight assists in 15 playoff games for Pittsburgh.

In 1,232 games, Iginla has 530 goals and 576 assists.