The Bruins’ Providence (AHL) farm club ranks 28th in the 30-team league in goals against per game.
So the acquisition of goaltender Anton Khudobin from the Minnesota organization can only help the P-Bruins’ cause.
Boston shipped defenseman Jeff Penner and the rights to forward Mikko Lehtonen to the Wild for Khudobin.
Despite their defensive struggles, the P-Bruins are just seven points back of a playoff berth. With a 19-12-1 record, 2.58 goals-against average and .911 save percentage for the Wild’s Houston farm club, the 24-year-old native of Kazakhstan provides a major improvement over all three goaltenders that have played for Providence this season, including veteran Nolan Schaefer (9-16-1, 3.11, .897).
This season, Khudobin even earned a brief call-up to Minnesota. During his stint, he shut out Vancouver — the No. 1 team in the NHL. For more on that, check out this audio scouting report by The Goalie Guild.
The Goalie Guild also writes:
When projecting Khudobin’s potential as an NHL goaltender, I think a lot of his success depends on what the Wild have planned with Jose Theodore and Josh Harding at the end of the season. If either of them are re-signed, it will force Khudobin to spend another year in Houston. At this point, it’s safe to say that Khudobin is ready for the next level.
So it’ll be interesting to see if the Bruins see Khudobin, who’s scheduled to be a Group 6 unrestricted free agent this summer, as a stop-gap to try to get the P-Bruins into the playoffs, or someone they can re-sign to provide more depth down the road.
Bo – that was not about getting PB’s into the playoff, but about getting Tuukka playing time. He’s obviously rusty, was very shaky against edmonton. let the new guy ride the pine behind timmah
Keep in mind the Bruins won’t be able to keep both of their goalies for the ’12-13 season. No question they’ll keep the 24yo Rask & not the 37yo Thomas. & there won’t be a more ideal time to trade TT than after his second Vezina trophy in 3 years. So that’s exactly what I think the Khudobin trade was about: to prepare the trade of TT this summer by getting next year’s backup.
I agree with moving Rask to PVD to get playing time and this guy into backup role. This guy looks and sounds like he will be pushing Rask for that backup spot. This may be a little wake up call for our savior, Tuuka
I think Krecji is pretty close to Middleton. Depending on where the B’s (Leafs) falls there is a Russian I’ve been watching in London. I’ve mentioned Vladimer Namestnikov before and I really like the guy. He’s not your typical Russian in the fact he’s lived over here as a kid. He has NHL pedigree with some North America in his game. Sweet hands and skates effortlessly. The more I watch him the more I like him. He will dangle in a crowd like Nifty did and go right at guys to give himself options.Smart / skilled and his teammates love him.
Other Nifty (when do we get another Middleton ?? – I’m hoping maybe with Spooner), I agree that both of those kids will need time to develop their bodies, but, based on everything I hear, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them cracked the lineup.
wW – I had the exact same thoughts. At some point, the Bs will need to consider asking TT to free-up that no-trade. That might be this off-season, it might be the next, but if this kid really can play net, PC has to consider if their is a better way to spend that $5million tied into TT. My guess, is if they win, TT will be shopped once again. If not – we keep the barrels loaded with the heavy artillery in net.
Both Spooner and Knight will be in junior next year. If things go according to plan they will also play a year in PTown. They are not huge guys and will need time to develop physically.
Coach.. serious? Bs are trying to win a cup, right? Why don’t they send Marchand down and bring up Sauve for that matter? That’s just nonsense. This isn’t about getting PTown into the playoffs – this is about winning a CUP.
I wonder how or if a trade like this will affect the off season?
How about bringing Khudobin up for 10 days and letting Tuukka play a stretch of games for the P-B’s?
Also – are there any interesting players that will join Providence when their college or juniors seasons end?
I can’t help but feel that this move was done to solidify the goalie position after Thomas’ departure. Rask is the future, and I think that if Savard is done, his cap space, along with Thomas’ potential space (if/when moved), could clear a lot of room for the future.
This move is too late but Boston does need a “#3″ goalie, just in case. Nolan “I suck worse than my brother” Schaefer has been god awful here in Providence…..cut him now……what a bust he was….re-tool this team…these guys we’re picking up……can’t you do any better???? Look at Hershey…..hmmmmm why can’t we do that???
I’ve watched Spooner some but he’s in the Eastern Conf. and I’m situated in the West. He did ask to be traded out of Peterborough so sometimes that can raise a flag. Don’t know circumstances though just saying. I go to Kingston every June and the guys I golf with follow the Frontenacs. I’ll ask them for their opinion. From what I’ve seen another year with Gilmour wouldn’t hurt him. He won’t make the B’s next year.
I think Spooner either has to make the Bs or stay in juniors next year. Anyone got the skinny on that?
Its gona be tough for pbs to make the playoffs since teams have pts and games ahead of them. Maybe next year with spooner and knight. Like the addition tho as goalie has been a weak spot. Hope chia resigns valabik. It will be interesting how he will develop in bruins system, possibly with some time with chara
I think this move is about more than Providence. As a GM, Chia has had to look at every position and ask.. what if someone goes down for the playoffs. That’s why he picked up Hnidy. He won’t be ready until the playoffs, but Clode is comfortable with trusting him. So.. what – KNOCK ON WOOD – happens if one of the goalies tweaks a knee or a groin. Well.. now we’ve just upgraded that spot too. D is deeper. Forwards are deeper. Chia is just making sure he has depth in net cause none of those boys in Providence now are.. well…
Yeah those were good moves. I believe in Chiarelli and his staff more and more. I wouldn’t want to play poker with him.
I’ve grown accustomed to raise an eyebrow when Chiarelli makes an under the radar trade like McQuaid, Boychuk and Kampfer trades were.
PCs scouts have done a great job the last few years of plucking players that were languishing in another organization. I look for this to help the PBruins now.
Hutch is still young with good size and attitude. I’m cheering for him.