The Devils have officially signed defenseman Jakub Zboril and goaltender Michael Hutchinson to professional tryout agreements, the team announced today in a pair of press releases.
Zboril, the No. 13 overall pick by the Bruins in 2015, didn’t see any NHL action last season for the first time since 2019-20. He was waived following training camp and assigned to the AHL’s Providence Bruins, where he was limited to nine points and a -5 rating in 31 games before his nine-year tenure in the Boston organization ended in March.
After being shipped to the Blue Jackets in the trade deadline deal that saw Andrew Peeke head to the Bruins, Zboril posted four assists and a -2 rating in 15 games to end the season with Columbus’ AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters. He wasn’t brought back after reaching unrestricted free agency this summer following the conclusion of the two-year, $2.28MM extension he signed to stay in Boston in 2022.
Now 27, Zboril has topped out as a top-four AHL defender or a fringe No. 7 option on an NHL roster. He has one goal, 15 assists, 16 points, and an even rating in 76 career appearances in parts of four seasons with the Bruins, averaging 15:38 per game. The 6’0″, 194-lb defender does play an effective physical game, but he hasn’t been a notable offensive option in the pros, even at the AHL level.
Hutchinson, 34, will provide veteran insurance between the pipes during camp to complement a trio of young, NHL-contracted depth netminders who will be jockeying for AHL and ECHL starts. He hasn’t been a full-time NHL option since the mid-2010s, but he has still made at least one appearance per year in a depth role for various teams.
He spent last season with the Red Wings, mostly with their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. But he did make one NHL start, ironically against the Devils, posting a .917 SV% in a loss on Dec. 23, 2023. He’s struggled in AHL action over the past few years, posting sub-.900 save percentages for three seasons in a row.
Neither player will compete earnestly for a spot on the Devils’ opening night roster. Instead, they’ll look to convert strong camp performances into two-way deals and land with New Jersey’s AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, for 2024-25 after likely passing through waivers unclaimed.
Another wasted draft pick by the B’s!!
I know you can always play this game but…it’s never easier than this…imagine if instead of:
Zboril DeBrusk Senyshyn (close enough spelling)
The Bruins had drafted:
Barzal Connor Chabot (the next 3 picks)
One of the few times it was a confusing set of choices right away too.
Chabot definitely should have been in that mix, I don’t recall Barzal’s and Conner’s pre 18 yo seasons.
Especially considering they scouted the Saint John Sea Dogs, decided they needed a left and handed defenceman, and then determined Zboril was the guy over his teammate Chabot.
I remember when it became clear Boston was actually going to use all three picks (even the draft guys in the studio assumed Sweeney would find trade partners for at least one of them) i was left completely confused by the picks, especially when they didn’t even take Barzal.
(gazes skyward) Yes, yes, this will be an eternal running joke, only because the three picks were all in a row. Because, of course, no other team in the league has ever booted a first round selection. Or multiple first round selections.