Boston Bruins head coach Marco Sturm has worked miracles when it comes to keeping his battered defense upright. But Tuesday saw the club finally make a call for some external help, with blueliner Vladislav Kolyachonok being claimed off waivers.
Waived by Dallas on Monday, Kolyachonok comes to Boston having posted one goal and three points, along with a plus-3 rating, in 11 games for the Stars this season. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound defender has also posted 10 blocks and five hits this season, while the Stars held a plus-8 differential in scoring chances and plus-12 differential in high-danger scoring chances with Kolyachonok on the ice at five-on-five play.
A veteran of 85 NHL games between the Coyotes, Penguins, Utah, and Stars, Kolyachonok has scored five goals and totaled 17 points. Last season was the Belarusian’s most notable in the NHL, too, with a career-best two goals and seven points in 35 games between Utah and Pittsburgh.
Boston’s move for the 24-year-old defender comes with Jonathan Aspirot currently on the shelf with an upper-body injury, and with Victor Söderström currently up with the club as their No. 6 defenseman on the depth chart. Speaking after Tuesday’s morning skate in Brighton ahead of the club’s home head-to-head with the Mammoth, Sturm did not have an update on Aspirot’s status.
In addition to Aspirot, the Bruins are also still without Jordan Harris (ankle).
Kolyachonok, who played both the left and right side for the Stars this season prior to being waived, is making a league minimum $775,000 this season, and will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season.
