Draft Player News (Apr. 4)

The Boston Bruins are in full playoff preparedness proceedings, as the team has called up goaltender Anton Khudobin for some time with the club, as they gave Tim Thomas the night off from getting dressed and sitting on the bench. Marty Turco took the start on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, which they lost, 5-3, but with the Bruins already locked into the top three with no real chance of moving up, the preparations are necessary to be completely healthy and rested for Game One.

Thomas belongs to one of the best goaltending tandems in the draft this year, but Wes M. could not capitalize on that tandem with better players up front or on the blueline.  Wes ranks 18th in the standings and is in a battle for that position, but that's the best he's going to do this year.

A minor lower-body knock was the cause of Sergei Gonchar's absence on Tuesday night, as the Senators took on the Hurricanes at home. It sounds like that holding Gonchar out was more likely a precautionary/healing measure for their playoff run as well. The Senators are now locked in the seven spot in the Eastern Conference and will draw the Bruins in the first round, so Gonchar better be ready to go for that series, because he will be hit hard and often.

In the draft, Gonchar belongs to Dale C., who sits in 8th spot, as of Wednesday morning and his hopes of hitting the money are now gone and now he can focus on the playoff pool.