Free-agent goalie Kyle Keyser impressing Bruins
“He battles,” said Coach Bruce Cassidy. “It looks like he’s going to be a good one.”
If everything goes according to plan this year for the Bruins, Kyle Keyser will not be seen anywhere near Boston when meaningful games are being played. The varsity goaltending is presumably in good hands with veterans Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak this season.
But if the 20-year-old Keyser, the free agent signee from the Oshawa Generals, continues to play like he has this preseason, it is not hard to picture him on Garden ice in the not-too-distant future.
He relieved Maxime Lagace in the third period and stopped all 18 shots the Hawks threw at him. He exuded confidence, was efficient in his movements and made sure the Hawks were not getting the rebounds they were seeing earlier in the game.
Whether he’s leapfrogged Vladar to be the prospect to share the net in Providence with Lagace or he heads to Atlanta in the East Coast Hockey League (if in fact the Bruins structure it that way) remains to be seen. But he says he’s ready for whatever plans the team has for him.
“You always want to play at the highest level you’re able to,” said Keyser. “For me its just going in and putting in the work every single day, keep my head down and working hard, not saying much, just going in, put my time in and wherever the coaches and management feel I should be slotted, I’m going to go in and work hard and play my game. It doesn’t matter where you put me. I’m going to play my same game and I’m going to keep the puck out of the net. That’s my job.”