Martin Samuelsson moves up

Martin Samuelsson, who scored twenty-one goals and added twenty assists in seventy-two games last season with the Providence Bruins, had his contract option picked up to join the parent club in Boston for next season.

This was the fifth such announcement from the Boston organization today, sixth if you count the non-announcement on defenseman Andrej Meszaros.

"We are eager to see what Martin can do with the big boys," GM Joshua Anderson said as he and Samuelsson posed for pictures. "What we do know is last year, we saw was him develop as a player, and we believe he has some potential to bloom even further. We want that to happen in a Bruins sweater."

The wing will be put in competition with two current Bruins for the fourth left wing spot. Another player, Andreas Lindstrom, may also be put in contention for the spot if his contract option is exercised. Last year, the Bruins used Pierre Turgeon and Matt Hartigan in the role. Both return to the club this year. Samuelsson is considered to be a stronger all-around player, but Hartigan has the nod in scoring and puck control ability. Samuelsson is better defensivly, which could play in his favor as many times the Bruins fourth wing matches up against a double-shifting line for the opposition. However, Samuelsson is also considered to be "near-thug" by his peers, though sneaky at it - he was whistled for only thirty-four penalty minutes in Providence last season.

Samuelson represented more than one-tenth of the total offense for the Providence club last season, including two power play goals and four game-winners, a team-high. The Bruins need such a killer instinct in the hopes of improving on last year's failed run at the playoffs.

Terms of the deal were not announced, but league rules require all call-ups to sign a two-year deal. Unconfirmed reports say the twenty-five year old signed for $700,000 a season with a signing bonus of $700,000 as well.