Boston Bruins sign Joey Abate to one-year contract

The Boston Bruins have signed Joey Abate to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000.

Abate’s contract will last until the end of the 2023-24 NHL regular season.

The deal is Abate’s first NHL contract, having instead played the past two seasons on an AHL deal with the Providence Bruins. The physical forward has two goals and 10 points with 104 penalty minutes in 40 games with Providence, a year after scoring three goals and six points alongside 62 penalty minutes in 35 games last year.

Standing at 6-foot-1 and 198 pounds, Abate has five goals and 16 points in 75 career AHL contests. Abate was also part of the Bruins’ 2023 Buffalo Prospects Challenge roster. Abate is not expected to factor into Boston’s NHL plans, but does reward him for his work on an AHL-only deal.

Prior to turning pro, Abate spent one year with the NAHL’s Janesville jets before embarking on a two-year USHL run with Youngstown and Omaha.

Abate then played three years with the NCAA’s University of Nebraska-Omaha, registering 32 points in 85 games. During his time there, Abate was named to the NCHC all-academic and all-rookie teams during the 2019-20 season.