Be sure to 'like' Hockeybuzz on Facebook!
Five years after being drafted in the first round by the Bruins, the other 30 NHL teams will now have a chance to acquire goaltender Malcolm Subban for free, as the Bruins have placed him on waivers ahead of tomorrow’s 3 p.m. NHL roster deadline.
Set to enter his fifth pro season, the 23-year-old Subban outlasted both Zane McIntyre and Daniel Vladar in camp, and finished his preseason with appearances in four of the B’s seven games, with two wins and an .889 save percentage in 133 minutes.
“I think he’s carrying himself [well] and looks like he’s a lot more comfortable. Malcolm always had a certain level of confidence, [but] he just looks more comfortable,… Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said following Monday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena. “Some of that I would assume has to do with a good showing here in Boston the other night.…
But Subban could not outduel the incumbent Anton Khudobin, who finished his preseason with a 1-1-0 record, and with stops on all but three of 58 shots thrown his way, including an impressive 35-of-36 performance against an NHLer-heavy Blackhawks lineup this past Saturday.
“I think we’ve been up front that there was a competition for the backup spot, but I’ve said it, I think [Khudobin] came in and looked good right away,… Cassidy said. “He’s conditioned well, practicing well, and he played well. So it’s his spot, he earned it.…
Should Subban slip through waivers and land back in Providence for another go with a straight-up loaded P-Bruins club, the B’s want to see him deliver on his summertime promise of making his mark with the organization. Especially with the added pressure that comes with fighting for minutes in the crease with McIntyre, a player that wowed the AHL with a .930 save percentage.
“[Subban] wants to play well, he’s stated it publicly that he wants to play well for the Boston Bruins and not some other team,… Cassidy noted. “His camp was good. It’s better than they were in the past. That’s why we’re talking about him.
“If he ends up in Providence, then he’s going to have to take that next step because there’s a pretty good guy down there that’s hungry, too.…
Subban, a 24th overall pick by the Bruins in 2012, has a 56-45-14 record and .918 save percentage in 127 career AHL games.
Subban has also been pulled early from both of his NHL starts, with an 0-2-0 record and six goals allowed on just 22 shots against.
Ty Anderson is the Boston Bruins beat writer for WEEI.com, and has been covering the National Hockey League for HockeyBuzz.com since 2010. He can be heard on the Saturday Skate program on 93.7 WEEI (Boston), and has been part of the Boston Chapter of the PHWA since 2013. Contact him on Twitter or send him an email at Ty.AndersonHB[at]gmail.com.