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Anton Khudobin

Evening Notes: Stamkos, Jagr, Price, Khudobin

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The Tampa Bay Lightning’s preseason is over and Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times writes about where the Lightning look to be as the new season gets under way. The key positive to the preseason is that both Steven Stamkos and Ryan Callahan look healthy and ready to go for the regular season.

Stamkos, who had knee surgery in mid-November and missed all but 17 games last year, is healthy and played in four preseason games. Smith referred to Stamkos as looking like he never missed any time, although he is still working on his timing, but looks ready to put up big numbers this year. Callahan has also been healthy, after having surgery on his hip and missing all but 18 games a year ago.

Smith writes that the lines will be totally up in the air as the season begins as the only two players who seem to be definitely together will be Stamkos with Nikita Kucherov, who have been together all preseason. The depth on the team is solid as they still have cuts to make, but top talent like 2017 second-round pick Alexander Volkov are right on the horizon. On defense, the team is expecting Jake Dotchin to have a solid season, despite breaking a team rule that kept him out of all, but one preseason game. He has been paired consistently with Victor Hedman in practice.

  • The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford tweets that he believes the St. Louis Blues are still interested in free agent Jaromir Jagr, but it would have to be at less than $2MM, which he doubts would happen. He adds in a later tweet that Jagr would also have to accept a third-line role and second-line power play spot.
  • The Athletic’s Paul Campbell (subscription required) breaks down what makes Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price so great, citing his tracking skills, his edgework, puckhandling and his unwillingness to give up on a play. Price, who just signed an eight-year, $84MM extension that kicks in next season, dominated the NHL last season with a 2.23 GAA in 62 games.
  • Cam Tucker of NBC Sports writes that Boston Bruins’ backup goaltender Anton Khudobin had an excellent preseason and is forcing the Bruins to make a tough decision at that position. Khudobin, who struggled in limited backup minutes last year, was thought to be in heavy competition with Malcolm Subban as Tuukka Rask’s backup. Subban, who has also played well in camp, would have to go through waivers if they send him back to the AHL and there is fear a team in need of a backup goaltender might grab the 23-year-old netminder. Khudobin’s solid preseason of allowing just three goals in two games could keep the 31-year-old in Boston another  year.

Snapshots: Khudobin, Fast, Hanzal

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One of the battles in Boston’s training camp is for the backup goalie position.  Veteran Anton Khudobin is the incumbent but is coming off an inconsistent season that saw him post just a .904 save percentage, well below the league average in 2016-17.  Accordingly, some have wondered if youngster Zane McIntyre could push for the number two job with the Bruins but head coach Bruce Cassidy told CSN New England’s Joe Haggerty that Khudobin remains the favorite for the job.

“He’s in very good shape and he’s practiced well, so he’s got a leg up on the other [goalies] based on his experience.  We know that going in, but he’s going to get pushed. Zane was good in a game, and Malcolm [Subban] let in a couple where he could have been more aggressive. But it was a first game, so right now they all look good. That’s a good problem to have if they all push each other, but to get direct to the point Anton has done nothing to lose that backup spot.”

If McIntyre isn’t able to supplant Khudobin for the backup role with the Bruins, he will be able to go down to Providence without going through waivers as he’s exempt for this season.  The same can’t be said for Malcolm Subban, who would have to hit the wire before heading to the AHL.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • Rangers winger Jesper Fast is progressing well in his recovery from offseason hip surgery, notes Matt Calamia on the Rangers’ team site. Head coach Alain Vigneault said that the team is targeting late October for his return to the lineup which would actually put him ahead of schedule from the five months he was expected to miss when he went under the knife in early June.  The 25-year-old has six goals and 15 assists in 68 games with New York last season and will push for a bottom-six role when he returns to the lineup.
  • Stars center Martin Hanzal is expected to start skating with the Stars on Saturday, reports Mark Stepneski of Stars Inside Edge. The 30-year-old has been out since the start of training camp with an ankle injury.  While Dallas has a surplus of centers, head coach Ken Hitchcock suggested earlier this month that it won’t be Hanzal who shifts positions and that it might be Jason Spezza who spends time on the wing instead.

Cam Ward Accepting Of New Role In Carolina

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Ever since 21-year-old rookie Cam Ward led the Carolina Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup title in 2006, he has been the go-to guy in the Carolina net. That year, Ward shocked the world with a .920 save percentage and 2.14 goals against average in 23 playoff games en route to the championship and the Conn Smythe Trophy, despite having only 28 regular season NHL games under his belt prior. In 2011, Ward was an All-Star and even made a run at the Vezina Trophy behind a resume of the league’s most games played and saves and a .922 save percentage. Altogether, Ward is in the top ten among all active goaltenders in wins, saves, and point shares, signalling the important role that he has played in Raleigh for the better part of this century.

However, in recent years the story has been quite different. After posting five 30-win seasons in his first six full seasons, Ward has failed to reach that mark every year since before the 2012 lockout. His save percentage has held steady at below .910 in that span, while his quality starts percentage has topped 50% only once in the last five years. In fact, in the last five years, few goalies with a “starter” amount of games played have performed worse than Ward. For that reason, the Hurricanes constant has accepted that he is no longer the top net minder in Carolina. In speaking with Chip Alexander of the News & Observer, Ward acknowledged that the team’s acquisition of and extension of former Chicago Blackhawks backup Scott Darling likely signals the end of his time as a starter for the ’Canes. The young, up-and-coming team is loaded with talent and will be for years to come, but have been held back by their goaltending. By all accounts, Darling has been one of the best backups in the league the past couple of campaigns and is ready for a starting role. And so, Ward is ready for a backup role:

“I’m realistic… I understand the situation. I know he was brought in here to sign a four-year deal for pretty good money not to be a backup.

“I know where I am in my career. … Certainly I’m a competitive guy and I still want to be able to play and I’ll do whatever I can to earn that ice time, but I’m hopeful he can make that next step. He deserves that.”

“I thought it was a great move… I’ve heard nothing but good things about Scott Darling. .. I look at a guy who’s ready to take that next step.

“I’ve been very fortunate to be here as long as I have and to be a No. 1 guy for over a decade, so I think I have something to offer to him. I think I can offer him my experience and give him the support he needs to make that next step.”

Ward certainly seems to be taking his demotion well and that could be the key to helping Darling develop into a star keeper. In the past, the Hurricanes have attempted to challenge Ward by investing in promising backups like Justin Peters, Anton Khudobin, and most recently Eddie Lack – traded this summer to the Calgary Flames – and giving those players substantial ice time. However, in each case the competitive Ward was able to hold on to his job despite just middling play, as the trio all failed to play up to expectations and embrace the position battle. Now 33, Ward is entering the twilight of his career and, though he won his Cup and Conn Smythe in year one, has accomplished so much as the franchise leader in every goaltending category for the ’Canes. For the first time, Ward seems open to embracing his mentor role and playing second fiddle to the up-and-coming Darling. That guidance and veteran wisdom could do wonders for the young goalie, which in turn could help bring Carolina back into Cup consideration for the first time in almost a decade.

With that said, the ultra-competitive Ward isn’t about to stop working hard. He has seen young backups come and go before and, while this four-year, $16.6MM contract for Darling is a step above the rest, Ward will surely be ready to take back the reigns if need be. Should that happen, at least Carolina fans can rest easy knowing exactly what to expect from the career Hurricane.

NHL Notes: Raanta, Darling, Tolvanen, Duclair

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With Antti Raanta and Scott Darling attempting to make the conversion from backup to starter this season, many believe that both will be successful. However, history suggests that’s not always the case. NBC Sports Adam Gretz writes that the best comparable for both is Cam Talbot, who was hugely successful as a backup for the New York Rangers and continued that success as a starter after being traded to the Edmonton Oilers.

Gretz writes that while Talbot is the perfect comparison, there are also plenty of goaltenders who have failed to make the full-time conversion over the last 15 years, including a few names that many have long forgotten. Eddie Lack and Anton Khudobin each struggled as starters for Carolina which forced them to go out and get Darling in the first place, while other goaltenders such as Dan Ellis, Alex Stalock, Ben Scrivens and Vesa Toskala didn’t fare particularly well.

The hope is that both Raanta and Darling are more proven as backups than a lot of the others and are more NHL ready to handle a larger workload. Raanta and Darling’s success will be critical for the team to take their team to the next step.

  • Nashville Predators prospect Eeli Tolvanen, the team’s first-round pick in the 2017 draft, signed a three-year deal to play for Jokerit Helsinki of the KHL earlier in the offseason. International hockey writer Igor Eronko tweeted Tolvanen told him that his second year is a player’s option and if he has a good year, he will come stateside next year. It’s only been three games for Tolvanen, but he is currently third in the league in scoring with six points and is third in the league in shots taken.
  • Gretz, in another story writes this is a critical year for Arizona’s Anthony Duclair. The 22-year-old wing got the city excited when he posted a 20-goal season two years ago, but came crashing back to earth last year after a five-goal output. Gretz points out that he scored on 19 percent of his shots in the 2015-16 season, which is extremely high and not sustainable over the long-term. Last year, Duclair’s numbers dropped to six percent. The still restricted free agent has not come to terms with the team.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Boston Bruins

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Navigating the Salary Cap is probably one of the more important tasks for any general manager to have. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2017-18 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Boston Bruins

Current Cap Hit: $64,848,335 (under the $75MM Upper Limit)

Entry Level Contracts

D Charlie McAvoy (two years remaining, $917K)
D Brandon Carlo (two years remaining, $789K)
F Frank Vatrano (one year remaining, $792.5K)
F Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson (two years remaining, $917K)
F Anders Bjork (three years remaining, $925K)

Boston has one of the deeper prospect pipelines in the NHL with upwards of a dozen players in the system on entry-level deals who could earn a call-up before that deal expires. However, this group of five stands the best chance of having a major impact on the Bruins right away in 2017-18.

Carlo, of course, already has a full year under his belt in which he skated in all 82 regular season games and played in over 20 minutes per night, all under the tutelage of one of the best defensive players of his generation: Zdeno Chara. Carlo has already made his #37 overall draft slot look like a steal, but with two more years at under $800K as he develops into a shutdown NHL defender, he could be one of the best blue line bargains in the league.

McAvoy is certainly ready to give Carlo a run for that title though. One of the Calder Trophy favorites for the upcoming season, McAvoy was thrown into the fire last season, making his NHL debut in the Bruins opening round playoff series. McAvoy performed admirably among a ragtag group of replacement players on Boston’s battered blue line and showed that he is more than ready for NHL action. Burning a season off of McAvoy’s ELC was a tough call for GM Don Sweeney and company, but giving McAvoy a taste last year could pay off this year. The former Boston University star and 2016 first-rounder will have all eyes on him in 2017-18.

Burning a year off of Forsbacka Karlsson’s entry-level deal for just one late-season game may have been ill-advised however. The Bruins love “JFK” and his two-way ability and cerebral play at center, with some in the organization and outside observers comparing him to Boston’s own Patrice Bergeron, widely considered the best two-way forward in the game. Those are big expectations to meet, but the Bruins will give Forsbacka Karlsson every chance to earn a regular role this season as they work to develop him into a well-rounded pro. JFK may not have the immediate impact, and expected pay day, of Carlo or McAvoy, but in two years he will certainly be worth more than $917K.

Vatrano has been a revelation for Boston since he was signed as an undrafted free agent, leaving UMass Amherst early in 2015. Vatrano led the AHL in goal scoring in 2015-16 with a stunning 36 goals in 36 games, while tallying 29 points in 83 NHL games along the way as well. Injury and inconsistency slowed down Vatrano’s rapid ascension last season, making 2017-18, his final ELC season, a major year in his career.

Finally, the Bruins were able to convince Bjork, a superstar at Notre Dame and the team’s 2014 fifth-round pick, to leave school early and sign on in Boston. The maximum three-year, $925K per ELC was nice motivation, but the team likely had to promise some play time as well. While Bjork’s spot on the team this season is not set in stone, with fellow high-end prospects Jake DeBrusk, Zach Senyshyn, Peter Cehlarik, and Danton Heinen clamoring for NHL play time, it seems that he’ll certainly get a chance. If the 2016-17 Hobey Baker candidate can find even remotely similar success in the big leagues compared to his past two NCAA seasons, his three-years of production at under $1MM will look mighty nice on the Bruins’ payroll.

One Year Remaining

D Zdeno Chara ($4MM, UFA)
F Ryan Spooner ($2.825MM, RFA)
F Riley Nash ($900K, UFA)
G Anton Khudobin ($1.2MM, UFA)

While it is a relatively painless 2018 free agency class for Boston, the end of Chara’s contract does loom large. The NHL’s tallest man has been the Bruins top defenseman since he signed with the team originally back in 2006 and very well could continue to be next season. It is possible that the Bruins re-sign Chara, whose cap hit drops from nearly $7MM to just $4MM this year, to a more affordable, short-term contract, but the more likely scenario is that the 40-year-old simply retires. He’ll leave the Boston blue line in much better condition than he found it back in ’06, with Torey Krug ready to lead the next wave of McAvoy, Carlo, and prospects like Jakub Zboril, Jeremy Lauzon, Ryan Lindgren, and Uhro Vaakanainen, but his size, strength, experience, and most of all, leadership, will not be easy to replace. The captain’s absence will be felt before the team even takes the ice for 2018-19 and could lead to the Bruins using the cap space Chara leaves behind to explore the free agent market.

Spooner and the Bruins nearly went to salary arbitration this summer, agreeing to terms on a one-year extension the morning of the hearing. Next year could be a very similar situation, whether Spooner performs or not. If Spooner can bounce back from a down 2016-17 season and prove that he is more than just a one-dimensional power play asset, then the Bruins will have to give him a raise on his new $2.825MM deal. If Spooner yet again struggles with the two-way and positional aspects of the game and is overshadowed by the Bruins’ younger talent, Sweeney will have to decide between bringing Spooner back again at a similar price and using up a roster spot or instead trading him away.

Nash and Khudobin, both signed on July 1st, 2016 to affordable two-year deals, also had incredibly similar seasons last year. Both were very disappointing for much of the year before their play picked up toward the end of the season. Going into 2017-18, Nash faces more pressure as he could take on the full responsibility of being the veteran presence on the checking line with Dominic Moore now gone. If Nash rises to the occasion, the Bruins have shown a fondness and loyalty toward their veteran fourth-liners and could reward Nash with an extension and a raise. If not, he’ll be gone. Khudobin also needs to have a big year, with starter Tuukka Rask in need of more rest than he got last season, but if Khudobin flops or if 24-year-old Zane McIntyre continues to light up the AHL, it seems very unlikely that he will re-sign.

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Expansion Primer: Boston Bruins

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We’re continuing to break down each team’s situation as it pertains to the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, coming up next week: which players are eligible, and which will likely warrant protection or may be on the block. Each team is required to submit their protection lists by 4pm CDT on June 17th. The full rules on eligibility can be found here, and CapFriendly has provided a handy expansion tool to make your own lists.

While the Boston Bruins have a legion of talented young players pushing for major roles, they are still a team that is defined by a veteran core: 2011 Stanley Cup winners Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Krejci, Zdeno Chara, and Tuukka Rask. Add young mainstays like David Pastrnak and Torey Krug and 2016 free agent acquisition David Backes to the mix and it may seem like the Bruins would be in a tough position with expansion like many other deep veteran teams.

However, the expansion process, while burdensome for some, gives the Bruins just enough space to protect all of their most valuable players including that entire core. They still face some tough decisions, but none that will drastically alter the franchise on June 21st.

Eligible Players (Non-UFA)

Forwards
David Krejci (NMC), Patrice Bergeron (NMC), Brad Marchand, David Backes (NMC), Matt Beleskey, Jimmy Hayes, Riley Nash, David Pastrnak, Ryan Spooner, Tim Schaller, Alexander Khokhlachev

Defense
Torey Krug, Zdeno Chara (NMC), Adam McQuaid, Kevan Miller, Colin Miller, Joe Morrow

Goaltender
Tuukka Rask (NMC), Anton Khudobin, Malcolm Subban

Notable Exemptions

Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, Frank Vatrano, Austin Czarnik, Zane McIntyre

Key Decisions

With Bergeron, Krejci, and Backes having No-Movement clauses and Marchand and Pastrnak two of 2016-17 top scorers, Boston is locked into a 7-3 protection scheme. Chara also has a No-Movement clause and Krug isn’t going anywhere so that’s five forward spots and two defensive spots locked up (Rask has a NMC as well if that was even a question). So which three Bruins get the final spots?

There have been many rumors this off-season, and even before the season ended, that perhaps Ryan Spooner’s time had run out in Boston. The 25-year-old center clashed with former coach Claude Julien and, after a brief rejuvenation, also lost play time under replacement Bruce Cassidy, including scratches in the playoffs. However, Spooner is still a top-end passer and a power play expert and the Bruins won’t just let him go for nothing. If Spooner hasn’t been traded before protection lists are due, he is guaranteed a slot. Whether or not he is still traded after the Expansion Draft remains an unknown.

For the final forward spot, the Bruins face a tough decision, but one with few negative repercussions. Jimmy Hayes has been a disaster in Boston and Tim Schaller is nothing more than fourth liner, so neither likely even gets consideration, nor would Vegas be interested unless otherwise incentivized, as has been rumored with Hayes. Alexander Khokhlachev left the organization last summer to play in the KHL, and little attention has been paid to his absence. The Golden Knights have drawn the interest of Russian players, but drafting Khokhlachev, who never proved his NHL viability in  Thus, the decision comes down to Matt Beleskey and Riley Nash. Beleskey had a career year in Boston in 2015-16, the first of a five-year deal, and seemed to fit in well with the Bruins. After a brutal, injury-riddled 2016-17 campaign, that fit is in doubt and there have been rumors that the team might look to trade a pick to Vegas in order for them to take the remaining three years and $11.4MM off of their hands. However, a healthy Beleskey could be far more valuable than Nash, who struggled to produce in his first season with the Bruins. Yet, Nash is a versatile veteran forward and a key penalty killer who makes just $900K next year. Hayes, Beleskey, and Nash all fulfill the 40/70 qualification and two will be exposed, so the team won’t have to worry about that requirement.

On defense, the decision holds some more weight. If Boston is unable to entice the Knights into selecting Hayes or Beleskey, it seems most likely that a defenseman will be chosen. The team must choose whether they want to protect long-time Bruin Adam McQuaid, exciting young player Colin Miller, or perhaps the most complete player of the group, Kevan Miller. Joe Morrow was once a top prospect, but his time to reach those lofty expectations in Boston has come and gone and the Bruins would be happy if Vegas chose to take him instead of one of the other two. Assuming that doesn’t happen, this becomes a big decision. Colin Miller is just 24 years old and an offensively-minded puck-mover, whereas Kevan Miller and McQuaid are very similar stay-at-home types. Colin Miller was also a major piece of the Milan Lucic trade from just two years ago. However, his development has had its fair share of bumps and Kevan Miller has definitely established himself as a more complete player. McQuaid also is in the mix and could be the beneficiary of club loyalty and a desire to have a seasoned vet behind young centerpieces Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo on the right side of the blue line. All three players meet the 40/70 qualification and have term on their contracts, so again meeting that one-player quota won’t be a concern.

Projected Protection List

Scheme: 7F/3D/1G

Forwards

David Krejci (NMC)
Patrice Bergeron (NMC)
David Backes (NMC)
Brad Marchand
David Pastrnak
Ryan Spooner
Riley Nash

Defensemen

Zdeno Chara (NMC)
Torey Krug
Colin Miller

Goalie

Tuukka Rask (NMC)

The general rule of expansion (and just common sense) is that if you’re allegedly willing to trade a draft pick to move a player, like Matt Beleskey, you’re probably happy with taking the risk of leaving him unprotected as well. Riley Nash played his best hockey toward the end of the season and that effort level next season at only $900K is tough to pass up. Still, the Bruins are unlikely to lose a forward, unless they do make a trade, because of the superiority of the players that they could potentially expose on defense. Kevan Miller is likely the best defenseman of the three, but Colin Miller brings a unique skill set from he and Adam McQuaid and has youth and potential on his side. Vegas would likely jump on the chance to take a young, offensive defenseman like Colin Miller, while there may be several defenseman of similar caliber to Kevan Miller and McQuaid available. Protecting Colin Miller may in fact be the Bruins’ best chance of retaining all three. If Vegas does pass up on a defenseman, it will be to take a goalie. No, not Anton Khudobin. Khudobin finished the season with a stretch of some of his best play since his last stint in Boston, but Vegas has more than enough options for backups that Khudobin won’t be of interest. Instead, young keeper Malcolm Subban could be the pick. Subban has been passed up by Zane McIntyre on Boston’s organizational depth chart and simply doesn’t appear destined to be an NHL regular with the Bruins at any point. Vegas GM George McPhee has stated that the team will likely draft many goalies and a minor leaguer with some promise would not be a wasted pick. Subban would also be the most harmless pick the Bruins could endure.

Bruins Notes: Krejci, C. Miller, Morrow, Subban

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Fresh off a 2-1 Game One win against the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night without three starters in David Krejci, Torey Krug, and Brandon Carlo, it appears that the Boston Bruins will have to line up for Game Two with an even more short-handed roster. While the team has until their matinee puck drop on Saturday to make any official announcement, it sounds as though defenseman Colin Miller will join the growing list of injuries. Miller, who left the previous game after suffering a lower body injury on a trip from Mark Borowiecki, was on the ice for practice today, but left early due to pain and discomfort. After practice, head coach Bruce Cassidy made it sound very unlikely that Miller would be available for the next game.

With Miller out, in addition to Krug and Carlo, Joe Morrow is the next man up to slot in on the blue line. Morrow, a former first-round pick and a piece of the Tyler Seguin trade, has not been able to work his way into regular play time in years with the Bruins. With John-Michael Liles in the fold this season, Morrow was bumped down to eighth on the depth chart and has not played in almost three months. However, the Bruins were able to beat the Senators with just five defenseman for most of Game One, so even a cold Morrow could be an upgrade as Boston looks to take a stranglehold on the series with another road win.

  • Having Krejci back would certainly go a long way to help the Bruins take a 2-0 series lead, but Cassidy confirmed that Boston’s highest-paid player will miss another game. Cassidy did add the qualifier that “as of today” he would miss the game, and Krejci did suit up for warm-ups before being a late scratch in Game One,  however he missed practice today and all signs point to the Bruins playing is safe with their third-highest scorer.

Boston Bruins Recall Zane McIntyre On Emergency Basis

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5:05pm: Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald reports that it is in fact Khudobin who has suffered a minor injury today. If he’s not able to dress, it would still put the Bruins at risk of having to use an unproven rookie in what will amount to another must-win game.

4:38pm:Despite saying this morning that Tuukka Rask would be back in net for the Boston Bruins tonight against the Nashville Predators, the team has recalled Zane McIntyre from Providence on emergency conditions. Whether this means Rask isn’t ready, or somehow Anton Khudobin has suffered an injury during the day isn’t clear.

Rask sat out the Bruins last game against the New York Islanders on Saturday with a mysterious lower-body injury, allowing Khudobin to make the start instead and help the team to a 2-1 victory. Rask received some heat from media and fans who compared it to last year when the goaltender sat out the final game with an illness and watched as the Bruins lost 6-1 to miss the playoffs. While it’s certain Rask and the Bruins wouldn’t fake an injury this late in the season, it is horrible timing for a club that is fighting for their playoff lives on a nightly basis. With the Tampa Bay Lightning now just one point behind the Bruins for the final playoff spot, they need every win they can down the stretch.

Though if it is Khudobin who makes the start tonight, perhaps it’s not the worst thing that could happen. The goaltender is 5-1 since the beginning of February and boasts a .920 save percentage in those matches. On Saturday, he stopped 18 of 19 shots in one of the biggest victories of the season for the Bruins. McIntyre on the other hand has appeared in eight games this season for Boston and has proved he’s not quite ready for the NHL with a save percentage of .858.

Tuukka Rask Out Tonight With LBI

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The Boston Bruins are facing a near must-win situation against the New York Islanders this evening, but they’ll be missing a key part of their team.

Goaltender Tuukka Rask is out with a lower-body injury, according to the team’s Twitter account. Anton Khudobin will get the start instead. We reported earlier today that the Bruins have recalled Zane McIntyre on an emergency basis to back up Khudobin.

It’s a very important game for the Bruins; they’re currently sitting outside the playoffs with 82 points. The Islanders also have 82 points, but have a game in hand on Boston. The Bruins were in the third divisional playoff spot last weekend, but have lost four in a row while the Maple Leafs have won three straight to pass them. Toronto is now three points ahead of Boston and comfortably in the third spot in the Atlantic Division.

This isn’t the first time Rask has missed an important game for his team. Last season, he caught a 24-hour flu bug and was out for the Bruins’ final game of the season, a must-win game against the Senators. Backup Jonas Gustavsson started instead; the Bruins lost 6-1 and missed the playoffs. Back in the Sochi Olympics, Rask missed Finland’s semi-final game versus Sweden with another stomach flu. The Swedes beat them, and Rask returned for the Bronze Medal Game, which he won.

Boston Recalls Goalie Zane McIntyre On Emergency Basis

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The Boston Bruins announced this morning that they have recalled goaltender Zane McIntyre from Providence of the AHL on an emergency basis. McIntyre has appeared in eight games for the Bruins this season but like his colleague, Anton Khudobin, he has struggled to provide the club with quality play between the pipes, registering a record of 0 – 4 – 1 while posting a GAA of nearly 4 and a S% of just 0.858.

It’s been a different story in Providence for the 24-year-old goalie, as he leads the AHL in both GAA (2.03) and S% (0.931). His strong play in net for the Baby Bruins led to his selection to appear in the 2017 AHL All Star game.

Joe Haggerty of CSN New England suggests the recall is linked to Tuukka Rask not skating yesterday and may mean he will be unavailable for tonight’s game in Brooklyn against the Islanders. Rask’s absence, even for just one game, would be bad news for a Bruins team that has lost four straight and now sits three points behind Toronto for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

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