Bruins announce multi-year contract extension for GM Peter Chiarelli

Bruins Principal Charlie Jacobs announced Monday that the club has signed General Manager Peter Chiarelli to a multi-year contract extension. Per club policy, terms of the deal will not be disclosed. Charlie Jacobs and Chiarelli will hold a press conference on Tuesday at noon at the TD Banknorth Garden.

Chiarelli’s club enjoyed one of their best regular seasons in team history in 2008-09, as they posted an Eastern Conference leading 53-19-10 record. Their 53 wins and 116 points were both their third-highest totals in team history, while their 116 points ranked second overall in the NHL, one point behind the San Jose Sharks (117). The Bruins led the NHL in goals against (196) and goal differential (+78) and led the Eastern Conference in goals for (274), second overall in the NHL to the Detroit Red Wings (295). His club swept the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs and earned their first Eastern Conference Semifinals berth since 1999. He was honored by The Sporting News as the 2008-09 NHL Executive of the Year from a poll of his peers, which included 39 coaches and executives.

Chiarelli was responsible for hiring current Bruins head coach Claude Julien and assistant coaches Geoff Ward, Craig Ramsay and Doug Houda.  In two seasons as head coach, Julien has amassed a 94-48-22 record and is a finalist for this year’s Jack Adams Award, which is awarded “to the head coach who has contributed the most to his team’s success.”

Prior to joining the Bruins, Chiarelli spent seven seasons with the Ottawa Senators, five as their director of Legal Relations and two as Assistant General Manager. A native of Ottawa, Ontario Chiarelli played four seasons of college hockey at Harvard University, where he served as the team’s captain. He had 21 goals and 28 assists for 49 points in 109 collegiate games and earned his degree in Economics in 1987. He obtained his law degree from the University of Ottawa and was admitted to the Ontario bar in 1993. Chiarelli spent six years as a lawyer and player agent prior to joining the Senators front office.