BostonBruins.com - The Boston Bruins selected JYP defenseman Urho Vaakanainen with the 18th pick on Friday night at the 2017 NHL Entry Draft in Chicago.

"It was a great feeling to get drafted by Boston," said Vaakanainen. "I was kind of in shock when I heard my name. It was a great feeling. It's a dream come true. I didn't really expect anything from the draft. I was just kind of expecting to get a first round pick. But, it's a great feeling to wear the shirt and hat. Great feeling."

Vaakanainen, whose father coached a young Tuukka Rask back in Finland, described himself as a two-way defenseman.

"I'm a great skater," he said. "I'm good with the puck. I'm a good first pass. I like to join the rush a lot."

CHICAGO - Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney announced today, June 23, that the Boston Bruins have selected defenseman Urho Vaakanainen in the first round (18th overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

BOSTON- 98.5 The Sports Hub and The Boston Bruins announced today that they have reached a new multi-year agreement extending the contract for the station to continue to air Bruins games. CBS RADIO Boston has been the radio home of the Boston Bruins since the 1995-96 NHL season.

Alongside Bruins games, 98.5 The Sports Hub (WBZ-FM) will also air 30-minute pre and post-game shows along with the two-hour weekly program, "The Hockey Show." 98.5 The Sports Hub debuted on Thursday, August 13, 2009 as the only FM station of its kind in the Boston area, airing B's games since the 2009-10 season.

"The Bruins are happy to continue our partnership with 98.5 The Sports Hub and CBS RADIO Boston," said Bruins President Cam Neely. "In addition to the Bruins game broadcasts, The Sports Hub has consistently delivered comprehensive hockey coverage to fans and they have joined us in our commitment to growing the game of hockey in our region." 

BOSTON - Start marking up your calendar.

The National Hockey League announced on Thursday the 2017-18 regular season schedule. On Wednesday, it was revealed that the Bruins would open the season on Oct. 5, at home against the defending Western Conference champion Nashville Predators.

BOSTON, MA -The National Hockey League announced today, June 22, the Boston Bruins 2017-18 regular season schedule. The full schedule can be found below (all times are local to where the games are being played). Regional and national broadcast information will be released at a later date. 

The Black & Gold will open the season at TD Garden against the 2017 Western Conference Champion Nashville Predators on Thursday, October 5 at 7:00 p.m. 

The Bruins' longest road trip of the season comes in February, when the B's will play five straight games away from TD Garden, including matchups against the Vancouver Canucks (2/17), Calgary Flames (2/19), Edmonton Oilers (2/20), Toronto Maple Leafs (2/24) and Buffalo Sabres (2/25). Upon return, the Bruins will have a season-long six-game homestand, playing the Carolina Hurricanes (2/27), Pittsburgh Penguins (3/1), Montreal Canadiens (3/3), Detroit Red Wings (3/6), Philadelphia Flyers (3/8) and Chicago Blackhawks (3/10). The B's will also be on the road during the final stretch of the 2017-18 regular season, as they play 11 of their last 15 games away from TD Garden.

Other highlights from the schedule release include the Bruins' first-ever matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on October 15, the B's first game at the new Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on December 13, and the Bruins' first game against the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins - a 1:00 p.m. matinee on Black Friday, November 24, at TD Garden.

Fans can place a Game Plan or Group Deposit for the 2017-18 season at BostonBruins.com/GamePlans and BostonBruins.com/Groups respectively. Game Plan Deposits must be locked in by June 23 at 2:00 p.m. and Group Deposits by July 14 at 2:00 p.m. to score priority access before the public.

To receive exclusive pre-sale access for 2017-18 individual tickets, team events and special promotions, sign up for the Boston Bruins Newsletter at BostonBruins.com/Newsletter.

CHICAGO - General Manager Don Sweeney held his annual pre-draft media availability on Thursday morning in Chicago prior to the 2017 NHL Draft. 

The Bruins' GM discussed this year's draft pool, the Bruins' approach to the draft, and the trade market around the league. He also discussed Wednesday night's Expansion Draft, when the Bruins lost defenseman Colin Miller to the Vegas Golden Knights. 

"Unfortunately we're losing a good, young player," said Sweeney. "We thought highly of Colin, he was part of a big trade for us and we wish him well going forward. We thank him for his part in the organization, but we lost a good player."

BostonBruins.com - While Patrice Bergeron grabbed most of the attention at the NHL Awards on Wednesday by winning his record-tying fourth Selke Trophy, the center's longtime linemate picked up a pretty important accolade of his own.

Brad Marchand was named an NHL First Team All-Star, the first such honor of his career. The winger is the first Bruin to be named to the team since Zdeno Chara in 2013-14.

LAS VEGAS - Patrice Bergeron is often soft-spoken, but he's not often speechless.

On Wednesday night at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas, Bergeron was finding it hard to adequately describe how special the evening had been for him. 

The Bruins alternate captain had just won his fourth Frank J. Selke Trophy, tying Hall of Famer Bob Gainey for the most Selke wins in league history. 

BostonBruins.com - The Boston Bruins - and every other team in the NHL - have been prepared for months to lose a player to expansion. And now they finally know who that player will be.

The Vegas Golden Knights selected defenseman Colin Miller from the Bruins on Wednesday night during the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

BOSTON - The National Hockey League announced today, June 21, that Boston Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron has been named the winner of the 2017 Frank J. Selke Trophy, given annually to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game. Bergeron was selected in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the end of the regular season, earning more votes than fellow finalists, Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Kesler and Minnesota Wild forward Mikko Koivu.