It was a busy afternoon on Monday for both the Boston Bruins and Boston Celtics. The B’s are signing Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov from the Canucks, while Jake Debrusk is headed to Vancouver. The C’s had some good news when they announced point guard Derrick White was given a four year contract extension, and later in the day gave forward Jayson Tatum a supermax five year deal. In some surprising news, it was also learned the majority ownership group led by Wyc Grousbeck is planning to sell the franchise.
Lindholm had six goals and six assists in limited time with Vancouver (26 games), after registering nine goals and 23 assists in 49 games to start this past year with Calgary. The center is signed for seven years with Boston at 7.75 million per season. Zadorov, a 6 foot 6 and 248 pound defenseman, had five goals and nine assists in 54 games with the Canucks, while he also started this past season with the Flames adding one goal and five assists in 21 games. He has signed a six year deal with the Bruins at 6 million per. Debrusk will earn 38.5 million over seven years in Vancouver, after spending all seven seasons of his career so far in Boston. Debrusk put up 19 goals and 21 assists in 2023-24, and had his best season in 2022-23 with the Presidents Trophy winners by registering 27 goals and 23 assists.
White, who just helped lead the Celtics to their first NBA Title since 2008, will earn 125.9 million with his new four year extension. White averaged 15.2 points per game to go along with 5.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds in this past season. Tatum got the supermax contract and biggest in NBA history at five years and 314 million, locking him up with the team through the 2029-30 season. Tatum, who just made the All-NBA First Team for a third straight year, averaged 26.9 points per game to go along with 8.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 2023-24. The news of the Celtics being up for sale was first learned from sources close to ESPN. The current investment group purchased the team in 2002, winning championships in 2008 and now in 2024.
