Boston Bruins: Jaroslav Halak is Don Sweeney’s best free agent signing

Jaroslav Halak picked up another shutout for the Boston Bruins. He now has 50 career shutouts.

The Boston Bruins came back from the holiday break and earned two points on the road versus the Buffalo Sabres. Jaroslav Halak was the difference, as he blanked the Sabres in a 26-save shutout effort.

Halak’s play on Friday night continues his strong run of form for the Bruins. In only his second year in Boston, Halak looks like Don Sweeney’s best free agent acquisition.

Jaroslav Halak is more than a backup goalie for the Bruins

When the Bruins signed Halak to a two-year deal, $5.5 million contract in 2018, most expected him to settle in as the backup to Tuukka Rask. So far, Halak more than lived up to his contract.

In his first year in Boston, Halak played in 40 games. He finished with 22 wins, a .922 SV%, and a 2.34 GAA. Those are starting goalie numbers.

Halak came up big last year when Rask struggled in the early parts of the season. When Rask took a leave of absence, Halak stepped in and gave the Bruins a chance to win every night. Then, even when Rask came back, coach Bruce Cassidy wasn’t afraid to play Halak down the stretch.

This year has been more of the same for Halak and the Bruins. Friday’s win in Buffalo was Halak’s ninth win in 16 starts this season. He currently rocks a .928 SV% and a 2.22 GAA, both of which are higher than Rask’s marks.

Halak also has a knack for shutouts. After the victory over the Sabres, Halak now leads the NHL with three shutouts. That also was the 50th shutout of his career. Only 31 goalies in NHL history have that many shutouts.

Given his cap hit, Sweeney and his staff expected Halak to be better than the typical backup. However, his play so far likely exceeded even their wildest expectations.

Halak will make a bigger difference for the Bruins later in the season

Like we saw last year, the Bruins will really feel Halak’s impact later in the season.

Because Halak is so good in his role, Cassidy doesn’t have to rely on Rask so much. He can limit Rask’s workload to keep him fresh later in the season.

Rask only made 46 appearances last season, the lowest he’s made in a full season. As a result, he was healthy and ready to go for a long playoff run. That would not have been the case without Halak’s consistent play.

Expect the same result this season, as Rask and Halak continue to split time in net. Rask is on pace for right around the same number of appearances he had last year.

This year, however, Rask might not start every playoff game. Halak’s been so good that you can’t be surprised if Cassidy gives him the nod if the schedule is tough.

The Bruins have a number of contract situations to handle after this season, but Halak’s might be the most important. With nobody ready in Providence, Boston must bring Halak back to support Rask. He’s that crucial to the team’s success.