Jeremy Smith, Goalie, the Most Recent Bruins Acquisition

Jan 2, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins goalie Niklas Svedberg (72) in front of the net during the second period against the Nashville Predators at TD Banknorth Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Bruins Sign Jeremy Smith

Peter Chiarelli recently hinted that Niklas Svedberg’s job behind franchise goalkeeper Tuukka Rask wasn’t completely safe, that  healthy competition may be in order.

“I think he’s almost ready, if not ready,” Chiarelli said Tuesday, via a conference call. “It doesn’t mean he gets the job; it doesn’t mean we won’t add somebody at some point to challenge him.”

And the Boston Bruins‘ GM followed through on his assessment, signing Jeremy Smith, former goalie of the Springfield Falcons (AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets), to a one-year, two-way contract.

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The deal is worth $80,000 in the AHL and $550,000 in the NHL.

Smith ended his 2013-14 season with the Falcons boasting a 21-14-3 record, .898 save percentage and a 2.78 GAA.

He was drafted by the Nashville Predators in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and played the majority of his career, from 2009 to 2013, on their minor league squad, the Milwaukee Admirals.

The Hockey News characterized Smith as a fundamentally solid goalie capable of improvement, but his size/bulk (6’0’’, 178 lbs) may need to grow for success at the NHL level.