Zane McIntyre, like Malcolm Subban and Jeremy Smith, is fighting to be the back-up goaltender in Boston this season. Zane McIntyre played very well with North Dakota during the 2014-15 season and was named a Hobey Baker Award finalist. The former 6th round pick of the Bruins in 2010 went 29-10-3, posting a .929 save percentage with only 2.05 goals against. Even the most casual hockey fan can appreciate those statistics, and McIntyre is hoping that he can parlay that success into a full-time NHL job. With the backup position up for grabs, McIntyre should give it his all if he plans on beating out his two competitors in Subban and Smith.
Puck Prose
Zane McIntyre has the potential to be a draft steal if he can translate his college success into NHL success. The Boston Bruins saw something in McIntyre in 2010, drafting him with the 165th overall pick in the NHL draft. McIntyre has already performed above expectation and is widely considered one of the better goalie prospects in the entire league His level of maturity is very encouraging for a Bruins team that is searching for young talent to be inserted into the lineup.
More from Bruins News
- Bruins release Prospects Challenge roster, schedule Tuesday
- Bruins bringing back familiar forward on tryout contract
- The Bruins should take a look at these four free agents
- NHL Network lists Ullmark as sixth-best goalie in the league
- The Lasting Legacy of David Krejci
McIntyre’s skill-set includes strong puck handling skills, a high level of athleticism, and he plays a hybrid-style butterfly position and possesses the ability to improvise and scramble when caught out of position. One of the best traits of Zane McIntyre is his compete level. McIntyre absolutely refuses to give up on plays and isn’t afraid to use his entire frame to his advantage. As mentioned, McIntyre implements a hybrid-style and as a result of his scrambles, he was often prone to giving up bad rebounds at times. Luckily for the Bruins, McIntyre worked hard to improve that aspect of his game last season and should be able to truly fine-tune his talents even more when working with the Providence or Boston Bruins training staff this season.
More from Causeway Crowd
- Harrison, Toporowski shine in Prospects Challenge
- Obscure former Boston Bruins: Steven Kampfer
- Bruins release Prospects Challenge roster, schedule Tuesday
- Bruins release full “Historic 100” list ahead of season
- McAvoy, Lucic named to “Historic 100” list over the weekend
Zane McIntyre is one of the more naturally gifted goalie prospects in the league. His instincts are top-notch and he isn’t afraid to wait out a player long enough to make a play on the puck or stop a timely goal. The Boston Bruins will surely give McIntyre a long look in the preseason to see if he is their backup goalie this season, or if he will compete with one of either Jeremy Smith or Malcolm Subban for the starting role in Providence for the 2015-16 season.
Feel free to follow me on Twitter @FansidedBrandon where we can discuss all things Bruins and sports!