By: Andrew Bluestein | Follow Me On Twitter / X @adbblue
For almost the last two decades, Boston Bruins fans have been spoiled with seeing great goaltending. There have been four Vezina Trophies from three different guys in that span. They currently have what is widely regarded as the best goaltending tandem in the league with Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark.
They also have prospects down the pipeline, with Brandon Bussi, Micheal Dipietro, and Kyle Keyser all down in the minors. However, a guy who could very well be a part of the team’s future was taken in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL draft. That would be current Providence College goaltender Philip Svedebäck.
Listed at 6’4, the Friars netminder is currently in his sophomore season and has been impressive. In his freshman year, he posted a 2.18 GAA and a .909 SV% with a 14-11-7 record. Through 25 games this season, he has a 2.16 GAA, a .902 SV%, and is 15-8-2. He has also pitched four shutouts, which leads all of Hockey East. Svedebäck has undoubtedly been one of the top goaltenders in his conference this season and is a big reason for the Friar’s success, who are currently ranked tenth in the country.
Positionally, the Swedish goalie is very sound and uses his large frame to his advantage. He takes up a large portion of the net and has a similar build to Linus Ullmark. Furthermore, Svedebäck is a strong skater who navigates his crease efficiently and has strong lateral movement. He has solid rebound control and tracks pucks effectively while recovering well.
The most noticeable thing about the Bruins’ goaltending prospect is his confidence. He seems so comfortable in his net and appears to be very poised. He’s also not afraid to come out of his net to play the puck and does it well. A 21-year-old goalie is rarely this complete at this point in their career, but Svedebäck checks all the boxes. He still has room to improve his game, but he possesses attributes that make him a potential asset in the near future for the Bruins organization.
It will be interesting to see what happens with Svedebäck at the end of this year. He could opt to return to the Friars for his junior season, and his rights would remain intact, but the Bruins could also attempt to sign him. If he does decide to sign with the organization at the end of his season, he’d likely be assigned to ECHL affiliate Maine to start his pro career. Either way, the Bruins have another promising goaltending prospect at their disposal.
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