The Boston Bruins will have the services of Brad Marchand until 2016-17 after he was signed to a four-year contract extension today.

Marchand’s new contract is worth $4.5 million annually. He was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this time next summer after the end of his old contract and he’s earned a nice little raise from the $2 million he got this past year.

In his second season with the Bruins in 2011-12, he avoided any hint of a sophomore slump, putting together 28 goals and 27 assists for 55 total points in 76 games. Those 28 goals were good for second on the team, just one goal behind linemate Tyler Seguin, and his +31 ranking was fifth in the entire league. He had his first career hat trick just before Christmas, too.

He also sprouted a few new nicknames bestowed by big names inside and outside the organization. Andrew Ference referred to him as honey badger, referencing a very popular viral video about the animal, and then President Barack Obama called him little ball of hate, a throwback to Pat Verbeek, who was the first holder of that nickname and another short-stature player known for his pesky physical style.

Marchand’s first season was notable too. He scored 21 goals and added 20 assists for 41 points, exceeding the expectations set for him before the campaign. (He was expected to score just 10 goals on the season and was determined to do more.) His +25 rating that season was second among rookies. Plus, he won the Seventh Player Award for exceeding those expectations.

Then in the Bruins’ run to the 2011 Stanley Cup championship, Marchand ranked second overall in playoff scoring, and first for first-years, with 11 goals and eight assists in 25 playoff games. During the Cup-clinching Game 7, he scored two out of the four goals that led Boston to victory.

Before debuting with Boston, Marchand played for the Providence Bruins for two seasons, putting up 31 goals and 60 assists over those two seasons. He was drafted 71st overall by Boston in 2006.