The Boston Bruins will have another new face in goal this evening when Anton Khudobin makes his Bruins debut. Khudobin, 25, will be the fourth goalie Boston has used this season, joining the likes of Tim Thomas, Tuukka Rask and Marty Turco.
Of all those goalies, Turco is the one Khudobin best relates to.
Turco, 36, was out of the league when the Bruins signed him to replace the injured Rask in March. Prior to joining Boston, he’d been playing in the Austrian league after failing to secure an NHL contract following a one-year stint in Chicago.
All told, Turco went almost an entire calendar year between NHL starts.
That’s something Khudobin can relate to. His last NHL start came with Minnesota in Jan. 2011 -- a 4-1 win over Edmonton -- and his career has been a whirlwind ever since. After the Oilers win, he was sent back Minnesota’s AHL affiliate in Houston, then traded to Boston at the deadline and dispatched to AHL Providence, where he played well.
That strong finish in Providence paved the way for an emergency recall in last year’s playoffs, where he was included on the Bruins’ team picture and awarded a Stanley Cup ring.
Fast forward to today, where Khubodin will finally play for the Bruins. Needless to say, he’s stoked.
“It’s a great feeling. It’s always fun to play at this level. I’ve been waiting for this opportunity,” said Khudobin, who returned from a wrist injury in March. “We’ll see what happens before the game, but I’m sure there will be some butterflies there. It’s my first NHL start in a couple of years.
“But at the same time I’m ready to play and I’m pretty excited.”
There’s a possibility Khudobin could play an even bigger role in this year’s playoffs. With Rask still hurt and Turco postseason ineligible, there’s a strong chance Khudobin will be Thomas’ No. 2 when the playoffs start on Apr. 11.