The Boston Bruins have re-signed goalie Dan Vladar to a three-year contract worth $2.25 million, or $750,000 per season. This contract carries him through the 2022-23 season. Boston made the announcement of the deal during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal.
Vladdy is locked up.
The #NHLBruins have signed @danvladar to a three-year contract extension.
📰 Full details: https://t.co/Rm0TicOww1 pic.twitter.com/kXEALKkJlc
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) August 24, 2020
Dan Vladar Re-signs with Boston
The Prague, Czech Republic native has yet to play an official NHL game, but he is the backup to Jaroslav Halak in the post-season. He stepped into the role after Tuukka Rask left the playoff bubble during the first-round series with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Vladar played 22 games this season with the AHL Providence Bruins and went 14-7-1. He led the league with a .936 save percentage and 1.79 goals-against-average. The Czech goalie made a big step up after a 13-17-1 campaign in 2018-19. Boston originally drafted him in the third round, 75th overall of the 2015 NHL Draft.
The first two years of the deal will be a two-way deal where he can go between Boston and Providence. His contract will convert to a one-way deal in the 2022-23 season. He was selected for the Czech Republic squad at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championships, but he did not make an appearance.
What This Means for the Future
The future of the Bruins’ goalie situation is murky at the moment. Rask has one more year left on his contract, but one wonders if he’ll return for the 2020-21 campaign. The Finnish goalie left to take care of a family situation and he’s 33 years old.
Halak is on the books for the next season at $3.5 million, but he’s 35 years old. Boston may be thinking about their future in between the pipes, but Vladar seems to be a part of it. He’ll likely play in the AHL if Rask returns or Boston gets another goalie. The 25-year-old has yet to be called upon by the big club, but can likely step in if needed.