Right before the start of the 2014-15 season, Torey Krug and Reilly Smith both signed bridge contracts for one-year. They didn’t have to wait long to sign their next contract extension.

On Friday, the Bruins announced that they signed both Krug and Smith beyond the 2014-15 season. Krug’s contract is a one-year extension worth $3.4 million through the 2015-16 season, while Smith signed a two-year extension worth $6.85 million through the 2016-17 season.

“These are two real good young players,” GM Peter Chiarelli said about the contract extensions. “Obviously there was that contract impass at the beginning of the year, but these are two players that we always liked and [they have] a bright future for us.”

Though these deals are different in length, neither Krug or Smith will have to worry about a new contract going into the off-season.

Equally important for both of them was getting the deals signed and focusing on helping the Black and Gold right the ship as they try to hold on to the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

“It’s nice, especially after the way things went last summer,” Krug said after Friday’s practice and picture day at TD Garden. “Going into the end of this year and not having to worry about the end of this year [with contract negotiations], I can just focus on hockey. It’s a good feeling to have the weight lifted off of your shoulders, and, like I said, it’s all about playing games right now.”

“The timing of the deal just fit after the deadline,” Smith added. “I think the main focus has been on hockey the entire year, it hasn’t been too much focus on how next year’s situation is going to play out. It’s nice to have it behind me, and hopefully I can stay with this organization for awhile.”

The Bruins signed Torey Krug and Reilly Smith to contract extensions on Friday. Photo by Joe Makarski, Bruins Daily,

For Krug, a puck moving specialist, he wants to prove that he can be a top-4 defenseman with the Black and Gold, and his new contract will give him a little more motivation to improve defensively and become more of a well-rounded blue-liner.

“I want to prove that I’m a top four guy,” Krug said. “My whole career I’ve been betting on myself, so it’s another opportunity to do that, and, you know, I just want to expand my role. Like any player would, they want to play more and be a better part of the team and that’s the reasoning behind the one year.”

Smith is a very streaky scorer. When he’s hot, he’s one of the Bruins best scoring options. But when he goes several games without recording a point, he becomes invisible.

Still, the deal is more about the upside and potential on what the former Miami (Ohio) RedHawk can provide rather than what he’s accomplished in the past.

“I know he’s had a struggle scoring wise this year, but he’s a good young player who is only going to get better,” Chiarelli said about Smith.

With the new extensions for Smith and Krug, the Bruins have roughly $63 million committed to 15 players next season. Important decisions await for Chiarelli — or whoever is the next B’s GM — over the next few months, including a contract extension for pending RFA Dougie Hamilton. Notable UFA’s include Carl Soderberg, Daniel Paille, Gregory Campbell and Adam McQuaid, just to name a few. Others, like Dennis Seidenberg, Chris Kelly or Loui Eriksson, could be trade bait to free up cap space in the off-season.

The Smith and Krug contract extensions did put a little dent in next year’s cap. Their bridge contracts also handcuffed Chiarelli into trading popular veteran defenseman Johnny Boychuk to the New York Islanders prior to the season.

Although Chiarelli noted that these contracts provide flexibility — and also stated that they would’ve gotten a similar type of deal through arbitration — both Smith and Krug will need to use these new deals and prove that they belong with the Bruins’ core for the future. Otherwise, it will just be another missed opportunity.