In regards to the anxious escapades felt by young NHL players this time of year, Tuukka Rask has been there done that.
In the years after being drafted by the Maple Leafs back in 2005, Rask made the annual pilgrimage to training camp year after year trying to impress a Leafs staff that appeared to underestimate him. For two years, Rask, a massive goalie of quick handed Finnish build, was overlooked by Toronto with the team pegging Canadian southpaw Justin Pogge as a man of superior talent. Since being traded to Boston in exchange for a burnt out Andrew Raycroft in 2007, Rask dealt with much of the same for the majority of the next few seasons. The Fantastic Finn trundled around the Bruins AHL affiliate providence for the entirety of the 2008 and 2009 seasons always watching, always waiting to make his debut.
For two seasons he watched as a mediocre goalie named Manny Fernandez backed up the growing superstar that was Tim Thomas. For two seasons, two training camps, two preseasons he tried and failed to impress the newly instated Claude Julian each time retiring back to the AHL where he honed his skills and garnered somewhat unwanted attention because of his eccentric on ice behavior.
The long stated, king of post shootout meltdowns gained national fame in the 2009 season when he assaulted the boards with his stick and hurled a chair out onto the ice following a loss. Later that season, he backed up his intense on ice personality with some 955 saves, a GAA of 2.33 and a save percentage of .905.
Finally, when the next training camp rolled around, Julian bumped his protégée up to the big club. The rest is history. After battling with Tim Thomas for the starting goaltender spot for the next 3 seasons, Rask got his name carved on the Stanly Cup as a backup in 2011 and nearly as a starter once Thomas left before the 2013 season. He has since won a Vesna Trophy for his efforts for the Bruins and has truly shamed the Leafs who long ago misjudged his talent.
There is a certain romance to this all, an impressive lore that goes hand in hand with a talent that is willing to be shoved under the rug long after the point at which its maturity demands it be let out. Being overlooked as Rask was, fighting with other talents as Rask did with Justin Pogge and Manny Fernandez almost a decade ago solidifies the powerful solidarity of an athlete and a person. Furthermore, such competition that warns of no clear winner adds substance to an otherwise dry preseason.
Even after Rask got out of that situation, Bruins fans have been treated to some rather spectacular battles for positions valued far less than that currently held by Rask. Guys like Ryan Spooner, Matt Frazer and Matt Bartowski have given some Bruins regulars a run for their money this training camp. Particularly in the situation of Spooner, Chris Kelly’s spot within the Bruins is shrinking in importance.
But on a level above any of those other battles, there is the titular clash of Malcom Subban and Niklas Svedberg fighting valiantly for the chance to stand alone behind Rask as the 2014-2015 Boston Bruins backup goalie.
Drafted 28th overall in the 2012 NHL draft, Malcom Subban has been omnipresent in the Bruins development system for over a year now. Last year, he started two games for the Bruins in their preseason calendar playing well even in a brutal 8 goal loss to the Red Wings. Nevertheless, he was sent back to Providence for the 2013-2014 season where he rightfully gained considerable playing time. In 33 starts, he went 15-10, logging a GAA of 2.31 and a save percentage of .920.
Playing right alongside him however was Swedish net minder, Niklas Svedberg. Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2012, Svedberg won the AHL version of the Vesna Trophy in his debut season with Providence and split time with Subban last season playing 45 games and boasting a GAA of 2.63.
The two are both in the running for backup time with the Bruins next season as former backup Chad Johnson was released at season’s end.
In this year’s rookie training camp and preseason games, they have rightly been the main focus.
"It's an exciting time. Obviously, it kicks off a training camp environment," said Assistant General Manager Don Sweeney earlier this month. "These guys have worked hard to earn an opportunity to come. We talked a lot about opportunity [with them], with the organization itself and the competitiveness."
The Bruins are so far doing well in rookie scrimmages with Svedberg and Subban splitting time almost perfectly. The two have held opponents down with flash, strength and fundamental skills that have impressed Bruins coach Claude Julian.
“There’s Svedberg, there’s Subban — there’s a lot of guys that can certainly battle for that. But it’s never been an issue in the past,” Julien told reporters, “We feel confident. Every guy we’ve had who’s come in as a secondary goaltender or backup goaltender has always done the job, so we don’t anticipate that being an issue again this year.”
Needless to say, with two high quality talents rated well in almost every category, the prospect of isolating and then playing the best one is truly exciting.
For the majority of the now 7 year old Claude Julian era in Boston, the Bruins have been the model of goaltending in its farm system. They have produced Tim Thomas, followed him up with Tuukka Rask, shot out Anton Khudobin as Rask’s eventual backup and now created the scintillating talents of Malcom Subban and Niklas Svedberg.
The future is a good one for the Bruins goaltending core as no matter the outcome of this preseason’s indicision it will include a world class talent playing behind Rask.
Subban is great, as is Svedberg; the Bruins are great and no matter what happens offensively and defensively to their core group next season, their goaltending tandem will be good enough to simply get it done no questions asked.
But until then, until we learn a new chant to scream from the rafters as a Bruins goalie aside from Rask makes a highlight real save, we get to watch a heck of a show play out as our two AHL goalies fight to one up the other.
“I’m going to try to have a good camp here and deserve a spot,” Svedberg said. “I’m happy for the contract [he was given last season], but I’ve got to come here, work hard and deserve my spot on the team, so it’s a long way to go.”
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