Bruins let Khristich go

Bruins roster

"We strongly disagree with the arbitrator's assessment that Dimitri is a $2.8 million player," Bruins general manager Harry Sinden said. "We had a player almost triple his salary in two years. It just didn't add up."

Khristich now becomes a free agent with the Bruins retaining the right to match any contract he signs that is less than 80 percent of the $2.8 million arbitration award, or $2,240,000.

The "walkaway" rights were negotiated into the collective bargaining agreement that ended the 1994-95 lockout. It gives a team the right to reject a limited number of arbitration decisions and make the player a free agent instead.

"This was put in to handle what people refer to as a runaway decision, like a runaway judge," Sinden said. "In case that happens, you had to have some way out."