Malcolm Subban will make his NHL debut tonight in St. Louis, where he’ll start in goal for the Boston Bruins.
And what a start for his first. The B’s have been reeling, now just one point up on Florida for the second wild-card spot in the East. The Blues, meanwhile, have gone 21-6-2 at home this season.
Subban, 21, gets the nod over both Tuukka Rask, who could probably use a break given he’s played fewer minutes than only three goalies in the entire NHL, and Niklas Svedberg, who lasted just one period in his last start on Feb. 10 against Dallas.
There has been speculation that Subban, the 24th overall pick in the 2012 draft and one of the most highly touted goaltending prospects in hockey, could be used as a trade chip prior to the March 2 deadline.
Despite all the speculation, it’s not clear if the Bruins are willing to entertain offers. Obviously, they’d expect a significant return if they did pull the trigger on a deal. GM Peter Chiarelli has, in the past, called Subban “a big part of our future.”
Of course, that comment did beg the question -- with Rask signed through 2020-21, how big could Subban’s future really be in Boston?
The Bruins will have actually have two new faces in the lineup versus the Blues, with AHL call-up Brian Ferlin making his NHL debut as well.
Jordan Caron, Brian Ferlin & Malcolm Subban all in lineup for B's tonight. Craig Cunningham and Paille out. Rask may not even dress for game
— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) February 20, 2015
Julien on Paille scratch: "he’s had a tough year, and I think his confidence is at its lowest right now..." (1 of 2)
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) February 20, 2015
Julien: "...sometimes watching a game from above and seeing things & maybe giving him that hunger to want to get back in the lineup"(2 of 2)
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) February 20, 2015