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Anton Khudobin: Focus is on Bruins, not KHL 01.11.13 at 11:17 am ET
By DJ Bean

Anton Khudobin

WILMINGTON — After skating with teammates for the first time since returning from Russia, Bruins backup goaltender Anton Khudobin said that despite recently saying he was interested in playing in the KHL next season, his focus is on the Bruins.

Khudobin, who played for Moscow Atlant of the KHL during the lockout, told Russian media outlet R-Sport that he will consider going back to the KHL when his deal with the Bruins ends after the upcoming season. He insisted Friday that he won’t let his upcoming choice distract him.

“I’m focused right now on this season here,” Khudobin said. “I’m not focused on anything else. We’ll see what’s going to happen after the season. It’s just normal. I’m in the last year of my contract, and you never know what’s going to be. Right now I’m just focused on this season and I want to get ready to play here.”

Khudobin, 26, said that he had previously been interested in playing in the KHL and that his experience during the lockout has helped him understand what playing in the league full-time would be like.

“It was a good experience,” he said. “I was thinking about [playing in] the KHL [in previous years], but I didn’t have a chance to play there. Now I’ve played and I know what to expect there.”

While Tuukka Rask is set to be the B’s No. 1 goaltender this year, a tightly compressed schedule of 48 games in a shorter period of time will mean that Khudobin will still likely get a lot of games this season.

“That’s the good thing for me,” Khudobin said. “It’s going to be lots of games and I have a good chance to play more than I would have in a full season. It’s going to be lots of games.”

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  • ILoveHockey

    I like Khudobin- watched him quite a bit in Providence, could be a starter in the NHL, not on a cup team at this point but decent. He has a ton of upside and makes a great #2 guy for the B’s, hopefully he has a good season and decides to stick around

  • Higgs

    Khudobin is a good backup. He will play well in short stretches which is exactly what you want. He struggled in the KHL, but he was on a very bad team. To be honest, I think Tuukka is going to struggle as the number one guy. He gets worn out pretty easily and he really needs to have a good year or he could be moving on since he’s a free agent. 

    As for Svedberg, he’s the real deal. He is a battler like TT and never quits on a save. That’s the kid to watch for. The unfortunate one is Hutchinson. He was a very good goalie in the O a few years ago, but he’s really struggled making the transition to the pro game, and a lot of it is confidence. He will more than likely be in the East Coast League next season.  Lars Volden was really not a very good pick (even though he was only a sixth rounder), especially since Garrett Sparks was still available.  Good legs, but very weak upstairs. He will spend his whole career in Europe.  I’m also not big fan of Gothberg, though he’s still young.  He’s big, but not particularly athletic. He’s a guy who is locked into that Finnish style and tends to lock up on shots and rely strictly on technique.  

    Finally, don’t be surprised if the Bruins try to add Parker Milner to the fold. I know they like him as they had him in rookie camp to work out with the team last summer.  His arc from when he was a sophomore until now is amazing. He is not draftable as he is now an over-age player, so he has the luxury of being able to sign with any NHL team as soon as his college season is over, much like JT Brown and Torrey Krug last season.  Milner will be in high demand, but it’d be nice to see the Bruins make a play for him.  They will not be disappointed.        

  • Jesse Spina

    Timmy!!!

  • markfromlynn

    Khudobin looked terrific in his brief stint with the B’s last season. He should get at least a game a week backing up Tukka.

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