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Boston Bruins: No Big Change In Goaltending Next Season

By Andrew Thompson

Apr 7, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40) squirts himself with water during the first period against the Detroit Red Wings at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 7, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40) squirts himself with water during the first period against the Detroit Red Wings at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Boston Bruins have repeatedly insisted that Tuukka Rask will be their goaltender for the immediate future. Some fans are completely fine with this, some are hoping that this was just a sub-standard year for the B’s Finnish netminder, and others have been extremely vocal about their desire to see the Black and Gold’s primary netminder moved.

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The critics do have a valid argument this season. Tuukka Rask didn’t have an outstanding year. He finished outside the top ten in wins this year (11th, w/31). He was in the top ten for losses though (1oth, w/22). His save percentage was a decent .915, but if the Bruins want to see the playoffs next season, that number has to be at least one-tenth of a percentage higher.

In defense of Rask, the Boston Bruins didn’t have that much operational depth last season either. Jonas Gustavsson played adequately this season (11-9-1, 2.72 goals-against, .908 save percentage). Gustavsson was sidelined at times due to an irregular heartbeat and like Rask had some very rough games, giving up goals they would normally stop.  The Providence Bruins had goaltending issues of their own. Malcolm Subban suffered a fractured larynx from taking a puck to the throat and was out of action. Zane McIntryre had a sub-.900 season in the crease for the Baby Bruins, so there was no help coming from there this year.

Now it looks like the Bruins are trying to shake things up.  Yesterday, the B’s signed Czech goalie Daniel Vladar to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Vladar was a third-round pick (75th overall) of the Bruins in the 2015 draft. Last season found Vladar in the USHL playing for the Chicago Steel.  He had a 12-12-4 record (2.31 goals-against average, a .920 save percentage) He placed in the top five in both save percentage and goals against. He also had three shutouts. He played his junior hockey in the Czech Republic and helped represent them in international competition recently.

In the short term, Vladar’s signing doesn’t change anything in Boston.  Going into next season, the B’s are likely to handle things like they did this season. Gustavsson probably won’t get another shot in Boston, and will have to try his luck in free agency. Jeremy Smith will likely join Subban and McIntyre in competition for the number two job when training camp begins in September. Unless someone can impress the front office a whole lot (or another team offers up a dream top-two defenseman), Rask will be the number one goaltender next year.

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