Bruins Sign Dorchester’s Jimmy Hayes to Three-Year Deal

Photo via AP

The Bruins signed Dorchester native and Boston College alum Jimmy Hayes to a three-year, $2.3 million contract, the team announced Monday.

Hayes, 25, came to Boston as a part of a trade with the Florida Panthers in exchange for Reilly Smith. Hayes played 72 games for the Panthers last season and notched 19 goals, good for third-best on the young team. Before Florida, Hayes played 43 games for the Chicago Blackhawks.

A native of Dorchester’s Adams Village neighborhood, Hayes will receive a homecoming of sorts. For starters, his red Blackhawks sweater hanging in Dot’s Eire Pub will be taken down in favor of something black-and-gold. Hayes and his brother Kevin, a forward for the New York Rangers, played their squirts careers in Dorchester Youth Hockey and later attended Saint Ann’s School in Neponset before moving on to greener pastures.

A member of Boston College’s 2010 NCAA championship squad, Hayes also helped the United States to a silver medal in the 2007 U-18 World Junior Championship.

Bruins general manager Don Sweeney was busy on Monday, inking forwards Brett Connolly and Brandon DeFazio to one-year deals as well.