As expected, the Bruins didn't do anything big once free agency opened at noon today. Instead, they tinkered with their lineup, signing unrestricted free agent forward Steve Begin to a one-year, $850,000 contract and re-signing restricted free agent Byron Bitz to a multi-year extension.

In the 31-year-old Begin, the Bruins get a hard-nosed, agitating forward they know far too well from his days in Montreal. In Montreal's first-round win in 2007-08, Begin teamed with Bryan Smolinski and Tom Kostopoulos on a wrecking-ball line that regularly hammered Boston's best players. Toward the end of the regular season, Begin's cross-check to Marc Savard left the center with a broken bone in his back.

"He's a versatile player, a useful player, a gritty player," Chiarelli said. "He's a guy that can slide a little bit up the lineup. He can kill penalties. He'll wear the emblem on his sleeve. There are a lot of good things about him."

In 62 games last season between Montreal and Dallas, Begin scored seven goals and five assists while recording 42 penalty minutes.

"He's a tremendous, tremendous, competitive player and person," Chiarelli said. "He'll kill penalties. He'll fill a role. He has some energy. We're excited to get him."