Bruins Re-Sign Anton Kuhdobin and Trent Whitfield

The Boston Bruins have announced that they have re-signed goaltender Anton Khudobin and center Trent Whitfield to two-year contracts. The financial terms of both deals were not disclosed. Boston acquired Khudobin on February 28 from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Jeff Penner and Mikko Lehtonen. In four games last season with the Wild, he posted a 2-1-0 record, one shutout, a 1.59 GAA, and a .942 save percentage. He also appeared in 50 games with Houston and Providence of the AHL, posting a 28-16-2 record, two shutouts, a 2.52 GAA, and a .914 save percentage. He did not appear in any games with the Bruins after the trade. Whitfield appeared in 45 games last season with Providence, scoring 18 goals and 18 assists for 36 points. Khudobin isn't a bad depth signing for the Bruins, as he has the skills to at least be a backup goaltender at the NHL level. He has good puck-stopping abilities and is very agile, but will likely see a lot of time in the minors next season unless Tim Thomas or Tuukka Rask should miss time with an injury. Whitfield is really just a depth signing for the team, as he will likely spend all of next season in the minors. If he sees any time with the Bruins, it will likely be on the fourth line.

Bruins Sign Forwards Larman & Whitfield to One-Year Deals

The Boston Bruins added a couple of depth forwards to their roster last Monday by signing centers Drew Larman and Trent Whitfield to one-year contracts. Terms of their deals were not disclosed. Larman did not appear in any NHL games last season, instead playing in 61 games for the Florida Panthers’ AHL affiliate in Rochester, scoring 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points. In 22 career NHL games, all with the Panthers over two seasons, he has two goals and one assist for three points. Whitfield appeared in three games last season for the St. Louis Blues, scoring one assist. He also played in 69 games with the Blues’ AHL affiliate in Peoria, scoring 20 goals and 30 assists for 50 points. In 177 career NHL games with the Blues, Washington Capitals, and New York Rangers, Whitfield had 11 goals and 17 assists for 28 points.

These are really just depth signings for the Bruins. Larman has potential to become a checking line forward, but given the depth on the Bruins for next season and beyond, could have a hard time cracking the lineup beyond the fourth line. Whitfield has enjoyed plenty of success at the AHL level the past several seasons, but isn’t much more than a third or fourth line forward in the NHL. He will provide lots of offensive depth and skill to the AHL’s Providence Bruins next season. If Whitfield does play for the Bruins at any time next season, he will give them sufficient offensive and veteran depth from the checking lines.