Blue liner Stuart gets two-year extension

The Bruins inched closer to finalizing their 2008-09 roster by signing defenseman Mark Stuart, a restricted free agent, to a two-year contract extension yesterday that will cost them $1.3 million against the cap each of the next two seasons.

Stuart, who collected 4 goals and 8 points last season, began to fulfill some of the potential the Bruins saw in him when they made him a first-round pick, 21st overall, in the 2003 draft. He still projects as a third-pairing defenseman on the depth chart, but he's young (24), strong, and can be ornery at times.

"Mark has a nice platform over the next few years to continue to develop as a player and a leader for the Bruins," said his agent, Matt Keator, who on July 1 will finalize the deal that makes free agent winger Blake Wheeler a Bruin. "He is excited for the opportunity."

Stuart, said Keator, was home in Minnesota, working and preparing for the start of training camp in September. Efforts to reach Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli - who also yesterday dealt for minor league defenseman Johnny Boychuk - were unsuccessful. Stuart and the GM will be available to the media during a conference call this morning.

Stuart will make $1.1 million in the first year of the deal, and gets a $400,000 raise in year No. 2.

Trade details

Boychuk, 24, is an Edmonton-raised blue liner whom the Avalanche selected 61st overall in the '02 draft.

In 2007-08, his fourth year in the minor leagues, the former Calgary Hitman filled in for four games with the Avalanche - the first NHL action of his career - and otherwise spent the season in the AHL, collecting 8 goals and 16 points for Lake Erie. The Bruins sent forward Matt Hendricks, 20-32 -52 last season for Providence, to Colorado. Originally a Nashville draft pick, Hendricks signed with Boston as a free agent last summer.

Cap gets tighter

Stuart's $1.3 million boosted the Bruins' current cap commitment to some $49.5 million for the coming season, leaving them approximately $6.5 million under the anticipated cap (official league figure will be announced this week). The Bruins also need to finalize deals for restricted free agents Petteri Nokelainen and Dennis Wideman, which could boost their commitments to approximately $53.5 million. All of which leaves Chiarelli with precious little wiggle room to hunt for unrestricted free agents when the market opens July 1. If he wants to court a UFA or two, especially, say, Marian Hossa, he'll have to move some contracts, either via buyouts (Glen Murray?) or trades (P.J. Axelsson, Phil Kessel?).

Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at dupont@globe.com