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BOSTON (AP) — Milan Lucic is back with the Boston Bruins, grinning ear to ear while wearing a hat of the team he won the Stanley Cup with more than a decade ago.

Lucic returned to the Bruins just after the opening of NHL free agency Saturday, one of several players signed to bargain contracts. The 2011 Cup champion got a $1 million deal with $500,000 more possible in performance-based incentives as part of an emotional rendezvous.

“It’s a place that’s close and dear to my heart,” said Lucic, now 35, who played his first eight NHL seasons with Boston. “It feels like I’m going home.”

FILE - Boston Bruins left wing Taylor Hall (71) skates with the puck during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers, April 21, 2023, in Sunrise, Fla. The Chicago Blackhawks acquired Hall in a trade with the Bruins, Monday, June 26, 2023, putting the veteran forward in line to play with the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL draft once again. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

The Chicago Blackhawks have acquired Taylor Hall in a trade with the Boston Bruins. The Blackhawks sent pending restricted free agents Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula to Boston for Hall and veteran Nick Foligno.

Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy speaks during a news conference after Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Saturday, June 10, 2023, in Sunrise, Fla. The Golden Knights defeated the Florida Panthers 3-2. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Bruce Cassidy has won the Stanley Cup as coach of the Vegas Golden Knights. The triumph comes nearly two decades since he was fired from his first NHL job with the Washington Capitals.

Florida Panthers defenseman Radko Gudas, center, and defenseman Josh Mahura (28) scuffle with Vegas Golden Knights Brett Howden (21) and center Chandler Stephenson (20) during the third period in Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Saturday, June 10, 2023, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Florida Panthers took the ice for Monday’s practice without several key players, most notably Matthew Tkachuk.

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Jonathan Marchessault (81) watches as a goal by defenseman Zach Whitecloud slips past Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during the third period of Game 1 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Saturday, June 3, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice might have been channeling his inner Aaron Rodgers when he told the assembled media to “breathe.”

Also signed to contracts next season were winger James van Riemsdyk ($1 million) and 2020 Cup-winning defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk ($1.05 million). Former Seattle forward Morgan Geekie signed for $4 million over two years and Patrick Brown for $1.6 million over two years.

“We did a lot of the things that we set out to do in addressing the depth overall of our club,” general manager Don Sweeney said. “We have plenty of opportunity for younger kids to come in and take their place if they earn it, but we’ve also complemented the group with players we felt we needed to fill some holes.”

The salary cap-strapped Bruins lost defensemen Dmitry Orlov and Connor Clifton in free agency and essentially closed the door on bringing back key trade deadline pickup Tyler Bertuzzi. Boston earlier in the week traded Taylor Hall to Chicago to clear space.

That might ultimately go to captain Patrice Bergeron and fellow veteran center David Krejci, who have yet to decide if they’re coming back for another season.

“(Krejci has) been pretty consistent in saying that if he’s playing the NHL, he’s playing for Boston,” Sweeney said. “And Patrice has been very consistent saying he’s going to take all the time he needs to make the best decision for him and his family.”

The Bruins are coming off setting shootout-era league records for wins and points in a regular season and losing in the first round of the playoffs in seven games to eventual East champion Florida.

“The core guys here have taken to heart that they feel like we had a historic regular season, but we had a failure in the playoffs,” Sweeney said. “We have to learn and grow.”

The Bruins still also need to figure out a new contract for restricted free agent goaltender Jeremy Swayman, who split time last season with Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark.

“He’s been very consistent about where he wants to play hockey,” Sweeney said. “I don’t see why he wouldn’t be playing hockey here now and moving forward for a long time. This is a really good young goaltender. We are excited about having him and Linus.”