The Bruins Secret Russian Weapon

The Bruins Secret Russian Weapon

By:Mike Grinnell

Follow @MikeGrinnell_

The Bruins are desperate for help on the back end. The club has played it’s worst defense in the Claude Julien era this season, ranking out of the top-10 in almost every defensive category.

With the February 29^th trade deadline looming and rumors being thrown around left and right of potential names the Bruins could acquire for the second half of the season, one name has flown very under the radar.

Maxim Chudinov.

When the Bruins drafted Chudinov in the 7^th round (195^th overall) in 2010, I can’t imagine the team thinking he would spend the next six seasons in the KHL before considering coming to the NHL.

The 25-year-old, now known as one of the KHL’s top defenseman, is at this end of his contract with St. Petersburg SKA, who he has played the last 4 seasons with.

Career Regular Season Statistics

Season	Team	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PP	SH	GW	S	S%
2006-2007	Severstal Cherepovets-Russia	2	0	0	0		0
2007-2008	Severstal Cherepovets-Russia	18	0	0	0		10
2008-2009	Severstal Cherepovets-Rus-KHL	26	0	0	0		14
2009-2010	Almaz Cherepovets Jr.-Russia-Jr.	4	1	0	1		12
2009-2010	Severstal Cherepovets-Rus-KHL	47	6	8	14		30
2010-2011	Severstal Cherepovets-Rus-KHL	52	8	15	23		30
2011-2012	Severstal Cherepovets-KHL	52	9	26	35		62
2012-2013	SKA St. Petersburg-KHL	47	2	8	10		46
2013-2014	SKA St. Petersburg-KHL	50	7	11	18		44
2013-2014	Russia-WC-A	10	0	1	1	1	4	0	0	0	4
2014-2015	SKA St. Petersburg-KHL	51	5	12	17		56
2014-2015	Russia-WC-A	10	1	3	4	0	4	0	0	0	12

 

With the KHL in shambles financially and with more and more players making the switch from the Kontinental Hockey League to the National Hockey League, there is a chance Chudinov could make his way to Boston in the Spring.

https://twitter.com/bruins_stats/status/648316293838311424

Chudinov is a small, strong, puck moving defensemen with excellent speed and quickness who could immediately help the Bruins. Labeled as one of the top defenseman in the KHL, Chudnov, at age 25, is coming into the prime of his hockey player career, all the more reason for Don Sweeney to head overseas.

Though the 5’11’’ Russian defenseman hasn’t shown much interest in coming to the NHL, due to the smaller rinks and ice size along with the fact that he would most likely land in the AHL to start off, but he may not have much of a choice with the KHL’s finical problems along with his contract with St. Petersburg SKA coming to an end.

https://twitter.com/bruins_stats/status/700499000856805377

With the deadline approaching and the Bruins desperate need for defensemen help, Don Sweeney might have to book himself a flight to St. Petersburg, Russia, in the near future.