BOSTON, MA – Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced today, July 9, that the club has signed center Christian Hanson to a one-year, two-way contract through the 2012-13 season. Hanson’s contract will be worth $600,000 at the NHL level and $105,000 at the AHL level.

Hanson, a 6’4”, 228-pound center, spent the 2011-12 season with the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears, after signing as a restricted free agent with the Washington Capitals on July 11, 2011. He tallied 10 goals, 11 assists and 42 penalty minutes in 52 games, with a plus-five rating.

In 2010-11, the 26-year-old skated in 58 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, where he recorded career highs offensively with 13 goals and 21 assists for 34 points and added 51 penalty minutes. He finished tied for fifth on the team in points and seventh in goals. Hanson was recalled for six games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and collected four penalty minutes.

The 2009-10 season saw Hanson play a career-high 31 NHL games with the Maple Leafs, notching two goals and five assists for seven points, with 16 penalty minutes. In 38 games with the Marlies, he scored 12 goals and added 19 assists for 31 points, along with 35 penalty minutes, and was selected to the 2010 AHL All-Star Game.

For his career, Hanson has played in 148 career AHL games with Toronto and Hershey, tallying 35 goals - including eight on the power play - and 51 assists for 86 points, and recording 128 penalty minutes. In 42 NHL games, the center has collected three goals, six assists and 22 penalty minutes.

Prior to the professional ranks, the Venetia, PA native played four seasons of collegiate hockey from 2005-09 at the University of Notre Dame in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. In 140 games with the Irish, he recorded 36-28=64 totals, serving as an alternate captain his senior year. He helped Notre Dame capture two CCHA championships in 2007 and 2009, played in three NCAA tournaments and was named an NCAA Second-Team All-Star in 2009.

Internationally, Hanson was a member of Team USA at the 2010 IIHF World Championship, where he tallied one assist in six games. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 31, 2009.