Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Bruins say ixnay on the Jose

August 19, 2013, 7:28 PM ET [13 Comments]
Ty Anderson
Boston Bruins Blogger •Bruins Feature Columnist • RSSArchiveCONTACT
In their organizational pipeline, the Boston Bruins have 8,341 minutes of NHL experience in the crease. Add it all up and that’s just over 139 games of time in net, with a mere 547 of those minutes belonging to somebody not named Tuukka Rask.

In fact, all of ‘em belong to semi-recently signed netminder and NHL spot-starter Chad Johnson. Behind Johnson, all of Providence Bruins goaltender Niklas Svedberg’s North American hockey has come in the AHL (and in a highly successful, 37-win campaign last year) while 2012 first rounder Malcolm Subban will begin his professional career later this year with the P-Bruins.

Together, the Bruins’ projected 2013-14 tandem of Rask and Johnson have played in 148 games in the NHL, posting a combined 69-47-19 record and .927 save percentage.

So, when the (now deemed false) report of the Bruins nearing a deal with veteran netminder Jose Theodore broke late Sunday night, it wasn’t necessarily easy to look at it and dispute it.

The Bruins, for all intents and purposes, could use some training camp competition in their net from a veteran, and without a team and with September rapidly (and mercifully) approaching, the 36-year-old Theodore seemingly fit the bill. On the market as one of eight free agent goaltenders over the age of 30-- Tim Thomas, Chris Mason, Johan Hedberg, Ilya Bryzgalov, Mathieu Garon, Michael Leighton, and Rick DiPietro accounting for the other seven-- the quick deny from both Theodore’s agent and sources close to the Bruins appears to indicate that the Black-and-Gold are confident in their ‘youth movement’ in net.

But is that course of action a sound one for a Boston club readying for its first 82-game year with the 26-year-old Rask as the undisputed No. 1 goaltender in town?

Now while the doubts regarding Rask’s game and “mental makeup” were certainly put to bed throughout a 2013 playoff run that included a league-best .940 save percentage, and his $56 million payday over the next eight years told fans in the Hub that he’s the guy in the now and in the future, it’s never bad to have options or options with a bit more experience, anyways. Especially when it comes to a goaltender that missed 24 games in 2011-12 with a groin injury following a 2010-11 that ended with a minor knee injury (a major bullet dodged by Claude Julien’s B’s squad thanks to Thomas’ insane play all year long).

However, in the doomsday event that Rask suffers a long-term injury or struggles for a prolonged period in 2013-14, just how much confidence would the Bruins have in turning the keys to their crease on over to the 27-year-old Johnson and his five games of NHL experience since 2010?

Despite wowing during a microscopic sample size with a 2-0-2 record and .954 save percentage in four games for the Phoenix Coyotes in 2013, Johnson is a goaltender that’s completely new to the Black-and-Gold’s system, unlike similarly inexperienced netminder Anton Khudobin, who assumed the backup role this past season after two seasons with the Providence Bruins. And while the B’s also have a defense-first system like Dave Tippett’s ‘Yotes, any concerns are valid. But are they worries that’d be quieted with the signing of Theodore or a similar type? Probably not.

At the end of the day, the truth is that just about any team that loses a goaltender of Rask’s caliber for a long stretch is screwed, and Boston’s no different. And on the heels of a 2013 that came with four wins and an .893 save percentage in 15 games, a 36-year-old Theodore will not save the Black-and-Gold if it hits the fan. Nor would a 40-year-old Hedberg, returning Tim Thomas, or anybody previously mentioned for that matter.

But still... is it something that they should consider?

It's pretty obvious that the 19-year-old Subban will not see NHL ice for at least two years, and it looks as if Svedberg's $1 million cap-hit in 2013-14 along with some developmental tweaks on the way have put him Providence bound once more, leaving the cash-strapped B's with the choice of Johnson (and his $600,000 cap hit) or an outside option as their backup this year. And in a perfect world, the Bruins will have a healthy Rask out there starting 55-60 games this year, with Johnson or 'goalie x' providing him with the rest and breathers 20 or so times in order to prep Rask for yet another long playoff run.

That, of course, is in a perfect world.

Again, though, if it all goes to hell for any number of reasons and the Bruins are forced to dig through the dumpster for a goaltender a la the Marty Turco calamity of 2012, it'd seem as if an invite (at the very least) for a vet netminder would make sense if only to merely see what you have from Johnson and your goaltending depth as a whole.
Join the Discussion: » 13 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Ty Anderson
» Notable lineup change headlines loss in Tampa
» Bruins' leaders answer Montgomery's challenge
» B's issued reality check; Duran turns pro
» Bruins' mistakes doom them in loss to Rangers
» Bruins refuse to make it easy for themselves