Zane McIntyre Planning to Sign in Boston
If the Boston Bruins were worried about losing Niklas Scedberg to the KHL, a solution may have arrived. It sounds like Zane McIntyre, the goaltender out of North Dakota, is planning to sign with the team that drafted him.
The Bruins have developed some decent goalies of the years. Chad Johnson saw playing time with the Islanders while Anton Khudobin played plenty with Carolina. Micheal Hutchinson was the starter for most of the season in Winnipeg. Yet, the 2014-2015 season was a struggle between the pipes if it wasn’t Tuukka Rask.
Svedberg played rather well until he was sent to Providence in February for a conditioning stint. Malcolm Subban was horrible in his single NHL game, but played well in the American Hockey League.
But with Svedberg gone, the Bruins might not be ready to have Subban assume the role of backup, which makes McIntyre signing all the more important.
McIntyre was the only goalie candidate for the Hobey Baker award this year, which ultimately went to Boston University forward Jack Eichel. The North Dakota ‘tender also led his team to a Frozen Four appearance where they lost to the Terriers.
Sportsnet is reporting that the sixth round draft pick will become a free agent after the Bruins don’t sign him (there is a limit of 30 days after the NCAA season ends) and then he will eventually sign with the Bruins. It is expected that McIntyre can make the leap to the NHL, so he would instantly solve Boston’s need for a backup.
The 22 year old had a spectacular 2014-2015 season, posting a goals against average of .929 along with a 1.99 goals against average and was considered the best goalie in the country this season.
The report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman says that McIntyre’s goal is to sign with the Bruins, even if he has the opportunity to sign with other teams.
The Bruins also have goaltender Jeremy Smith in the system, who has been starting for Providence at times but it seems unlikely they will keep him around. If McIntyre at any point needs to play in the AHL, however, the Bruins might need to add even more goalie depth.
Tuukka Rask is signed long term so it remains to be seen how devoted the Bruins will be to McIntyre, who no doubt has the potential to be a starter at some point. However, nobody ever said too many goalies is a bad thing.