The Bruins dipped their toes into the college free agent pool on Thursday, agreeing to terms with UMass forward Frank Vatrano on an entry-level deal, per MassLive.
Vatrano, 20, is a former U.S. National Development Team player and an ex-Boston Junior Bruin. After an academic/enrollment issue saw him depart Boston College before ever playing a game, Vatrano sat out almost his entire first year at UMass before breaking onto the scene this season, scoring a team-high 18 goals in 36 games.
The Minutemen’s season came to a close last weekend with a loss to Notre Dame, so Vatrano is eligible to join the B’s organization immediately. Like most college free agent signings, he could report directly to the American League.