Just a few months after his eye-popping three-year extension, Dan Vladar will soon be back on the ice. The Boston Bruins loaned the young goaltender to HC Dynamo Pardubice in the Czech Republic until training camps open in North America. His new Czech team has been dealing with injuries at the goaltending position but may not actually get Vladar for that long, depending on when the Bruins believe he’ll have to come back to prepare for the upcoming AHL season. Some prospects around the NHL have already terminated their loan agreements and are coming to North America (though, usually those are for Canadian teams with stricter traveling quarantine protocols).
Vladar, 23, was absolutely outstanding for the Providence Bruins in 2019-20. He posted the AHL’s best goals-against average, 1.79, and save percentage, .936, in 25 appearances, going 14-7-1 in the process. He also played one game for the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL and even made his NHL debut by entering a postseason game for Boston.
Selected 75th overall in 2015, Vladar has a chance to be the future starter for the Bruins, who are currently going with a mid-30s tandem of Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak, both on expiring deals. To get there, he’ll have to continue on the strong development track he’s shown so far, meaning game action is crucially important. With no clear timeline for the AHL, getting some ice time in Europe can only help him prepare for the upcoming season.
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