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BOSTON -- When Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli inked forward David Krejci to a six-year contract extension worth $43.5 million earlier this month, it sent a message to the players that this organization is committed to building a winning culture. They had captain Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron and Tuukka Rask already locked up, and the team is a legitimate Stanley Cup contender for the foreseeable future. Chiarelli spent the summer repeating that sales pitch to entry-level free agents Torey Krug and Reilly Smith. The GM explained to the players that the Bruins were dealing with certain salary-cap constraints and that it would be beneficial for the organization if both players, who were not arbitration eligible, would accept one-year bridge deals. No doubt he pointed out that the team's accomplished, Stanley Cup-winning veteran leaders agreed to their respective less-than-market-value deals to keep Boston's winning mentality strong. So, after missing 11 days of training camp, Krug and Smith, along with their agents, called Chiarelli and agreed to terms. As much as the business of the game was the reason for their late arrivals, it came down to the desire to play hockey and a chance to win a Stanley Cup.  "It was definitely tough. At times, you think you're fighting a three-way battle," Smith said. "You've got your own ideas, your agent is advising how he probably should, and they've been in the business a long time and that's probably the advice you should take. The Bruins also have their ideas and ideologies of how they want the whole situation to go, so you're kind of bouncing ideas off everyone. Me and Torey were bouncing ideas off each other the whole time because we just wanted to get to camp. It seems like it all worked out." As to why they both waited as long as they did before making the final decision, Smith said, "You're always trying to look for other options, and you want to stay with this team as long as you can. It's a great group of guys, a great organization. The cap also is a huge factor, so when that comes into play you just kind of have to accept it and move on from it." A deal like this benefits both sides. From a player-production standpoint, defenseman Krug and forward Smith must produce this season in order to earn a larger, long-term contract with the Bruins. Since both players will become restricted free agents after this season, they will be arbitration eligible and no doubt will earn a lot more per season if there's a hearing, which Chiarelli would like to avoid. "Both sides assume some risk and both sides benefit," Chiarelli said. "They walk right into arbitration and that's the certainty of a deal. They've both put up good numbers, so they both have good cases. And from our perspective, it helps us from a planning perspective this year, but we risk a higher number next year, so I'm OK with that. So it's a two-way street, but both sides assume some benefit, and both sides assume some risk." Smith admits that a one-year deal is a motivator in many ways. "If you're on a one-year deal, you're always pushing and battling for the next year and you're never really sitting back," Smith said. "I think that's a good feeling to have, and it pushes you more and more as a young player. It forces you to come to the rink every day with a bright attitude." Krug agrees that the culture that ownership, management, the coaching staff and players have created in Boston was a huge draw. "I want to be in Boston for as long as I can," Krug said. "With this group of guys, you see the attitude in here and what it takes to win. It's something I want to be a part of as long as I can. Right now, I'm just happy to be back, and I'm focused on the job at hand. I've got to get prepared for the season and make sure I do my job. I've never had an issue with having to prove myself before, so I'm going to try to do it again and we'll see where it takes me." Chiarelli's not in the clear, yet. He'll still need to trade one of the nine defensemen battling for a roster spot. If it were up to Chiarelli, he would keep everyone, but that scenario is not possible. After this season is over, the Bruins will need to extend Smith and Krug, along with fellow restricted free agents, including Dougie Hamilton, Niklas Svedberg, Matt Fraser, Jordan Caron, Justin Florek and David Warsofsky. Defenseman Johnny Boychuk and his $3.36 million contract has been spinning the trade rumor mill. He fits perfectly into the Bruins' style of play, but he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer and will command a major pay raise. Chiarelli could look to deal defenseman Adam McQuaid, who missed 51 games and the entire postseason last season due to leg and ankle injuries but now appears healthy and productive during training camp. Plus, he and fellow defenseman Kevan Miller are basically the same type of player, but Miller earns $800,000 to McQuaid's $1.5 million. "Our players are good players and they've had success, and I'd hate to move any of them," Chiarelli said. The fact that not one player wants to leave the locker room -- and that several are willing to take less money to remain in a Bruins sweater -- is a testament to the organization and its players. As Bruins coach Claude Julien said, "It bodes well" for the team's success. "What we're trying to do here right now is have a real competitive team every year, and competitive to a point where we feel like we have a chance at the Cup every year," Julien said. Smith and Krug had no options other than to sign one-year deals. They believe that it will pay off in the end with both a pay raise and, hopefully, a Stanley Cup championship. "They're willing to suck it up a little bit for the sake of everybody, which you've seen players do here already," Julien said. "There are some players on this team that could be making a lot more somewhere else, but they chose to stay here, and we're happy to try to build that culture where it's fun to be here and fun to be around each other."
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