Boston Bruins Goalie Trade Options: Mike Condon

With the Boston Bruins in Need of Help at the Goaltender Position, Mike Condon Could be a Trade Option

The Boston Bruins need help at the goaltending position. If the 5-0 home loss to the Minnesota Wild taught the team anything, it’s that the current goalie depth is too thin given injuries to both Tuukka Rask and Anton Khudobin. With two prospects getting the nod in net for the Bruins, the team had nothing going their way. Despite the fact that both Subban and McIntyre were let down by their defense, the Bruins can’t depend on them at this point in their development.

As it stands, Subban is looking more-and-more like a first round bust, as Joe Haggerty of CSNNE mentioned. McIntyre, however, simply isn’t ready to be thrown “to the wolves” at this point, mentioned WEEI’s Ty Anderson. Goalie options aren’t exactly growing on trees, however, and the Bruins aren’t the only team struggling in net.

The Los Angeles Kings are without both starting goalie Jonathan Quick and backup goalie Jeff Zatkoff, and could also be in the market for a goalie. The higher the demand, the higher the price will be for a goalie, so the Bruins need to be fast. One team that is dealing from a position of strength comes in the form of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

With goaltender Matt Murray back, the Penguins will have two starters on the roster looking for game time. Condon, then, is the odd man out. The Bruins could kick tires on a potential deal for the 26-year-old Holliston, Massachusetts native – although he did just unveil his new mask with the Penguins.

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Why Mike Condon?

Condon wasn’t the best goalie last season with the Montreal Canadiens, but the circumstances weren’t ideal either. A rookie with just 55 games of AHL experience, Condon was thrust into the fire when Carey Price went down with an injury. While Condon started off the season strong, the end result was a 21-25-3 record with a 2.71 goals against average and a .903 save percentage.

So why would the Bruins be interested?

Experience is always coveted, and Condon, though in just his second season in the NHL, already has that in spades. Playing in a market like Montreal is never an easy thing. Playing in Montreal as a Massachusetts-native, in relief of Hart and Vezina trophy-winning goalie Price, and starting in the franchise’s first Winter Classic game against the Bruins, is another thing altogether.

While Condon may not be the most enticing option on the market, his cap hit of $575,000 certainly is appealing. The Bruins don’t necessarily need a long-term fix for goalie depth, but Condon would be a good option in the short-term. Additionally, through two games, Anton Khudobin hasn’t looked sharp for the Bruins.

Current Options Haven’t Been Great

In two games, Khudobin has allowed eight goals on 53 shots. That total gives him a 4.10 goals against average and a .849 save percentage. In his defense, the team defense has been less-than-stellar this year, but the Bruins need more consistency from their backup. With Khudobin sidelined for the next few weeks, the Bruins need someone to help Rask, especially when he’s dealing with an injury of his own.

Condon, through one game in a relief effort for the Penguins, made seven saves in 20 minutes of ice time. There’s no guarantee that Condon would fair any better in the Bruins crease than their current options. With his cheap cap hit and potentially low cost, however, the Bruins should at least inquire.

The risk is low, but the potential reward might be too high to pass on. The Bruins need help in net now, and Condon could be available. Time will tell if they have interest, but the team should move quick.