Boston Bruins
Skudra played for Boston last season, helping the Bruins try and dig way out of a huge hole dug by the stupidity of one goalie and teh misfortune of another. Skudra first came and teh Bruins attemped to sent him down to Providence. The Buffalo Sabres, who lost Hasek to an injury, saw him and picked him up. Soon Buffalo tried sending him downa nd Boston grapped him again. My wish had come true. I loved him as a goalie and was glad to have him close to home. I live in Rhode Island, under Mass. I watch Boston Bruins on TV al the time and now I got to watch him all the time.
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Screen Shot: Hyper Lander 2 Classic
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Boston Bruins:
Bruins Acquire Goaltender Peter Skudra
BOSTON (October 3, 2000) - The Boston Bruins have agreed to terms with goaltender Peter Skudra on a one-year contract, it was announced today by Bruins President and General Manager Harry Sinden. In keeping with club policy, terms of the contract were not announced. Skudra was an unrestricted free agent. He is expected to be at practice tomorrow (FleetCenter, 11:00 a.m.).
"With the injury to John Grahame, we felt the need to sign a goaltender with NHL experience to serve as a backup to Byron Dafoe," said Bruins Vice President of Hockey Operations and Assistant General Manager Mike O'Connell. "Peter has served that role well in Pittsburgh the last three seasons and we think he will do the same here. Since he has not had the benefit of a training camp, however, I anticipate that he will start the season in Providence."
Skudra, 27, was never drafted by an NHL team. Following three minor league seaosns in the East Coast, Central and American Hockey Leagues, he attended Pittsburgh's 1997 training camp on a try-out agreement, earning a free-agent contract with the Penguins on September 25, 1997. The 6'1", 189 lb. native of Riga, Latvia began the 1997-98 season in the International Hockey League with Houston and Kansas City before his recall to Pittsburgh in November, 1997. He went on to post a 6-4-3 record and 1.83 goals against average in 17 games with the Penguins that season and was named the club's rookie of the year.
Skudra played in 20 games with the Penguins last season with a 5-7-3 record and 3.12 goals against average. His three-year NHL totals are a 26-22-11 record, 2.65 goals against average and four shutouts in 74 career NHL games.
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Canucks wanted Skudra all along
It remains to be seen whether free-agent signee Peter Skudra is the answer to the Vancouver Canucks' backup goaltending woes. This, after all, is a goalie who won only six of 25 games for the Boston Bruins last season. But when the Canucks say this is the guy they've wanted all along to be the backup to Dan Cloutier, they aren't kidding.
Vancouver tried to sign Skudra in the summer, but the 28-year-old netminder thought he would have a better chance of playing for the New York Rangers. Nice thought, but it never panned out, what with Mike Richter recovering well from reconstructive knee surgery and 18-year-old Dan Blackburn stepping up as Richter's backup and the Rangers' goalie of the future. That led to Vancouver picking up Martin Brochu in the waiver draft, but Brochu wasn't getting the job done, having lost the confidence of his teammates.
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