The Boston Bruins have decided to send goaltender Niklas Svedberg to AHL Providence so that he can participate in a conditioning stint, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. Top prospect Malcolm Subban has been summoned to serve as the team’s number two netminder in his absence.
Svedberg is a 25-year-old rookie that’s had a strong season with a 2.22 GAA and .922 save percentage in 12 contests. However, the Bruins have been justifiably leaning on Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender Tuukka Rask and Svedberg has only gotten one January start as a result.
So this is an opportunity for Svedberg to stay sharp by getting some work in the minors, but it’s also a chance to reward 21-year-old Subban. He has a 2.47 GAA and .921 save percentage in 22 AHL games this season and was selected as the AHL Player of the Week for Jan. 19-25 after he recorded a 0.99 GAA and .967 save percentage in three starts.
Depending on how long Svedberg’s conditioning stint lasts, Subban might make his NHL debut during this stint as Boston is scheduled to play three games in four days from Feb. 7-10. Subban was taken with the 24th overall pick in 2012 and is the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban.