Completed transaction: Don Sweeney sends goaltender packing as final rosters begin to surface

Simon Zajicek's push for an NHL backup job has ended for now after Marco Sturm's Bruins assigned the goaltender to Providence.

The Boston Bruins made the move Thursday, sending Zajicek to their AHL affiliate and removing one of the more interesting goaltending stories from training camp.

Zajicek had pushed himself into the backup conversation. What started as an opportunity to make an impression developed into a legitimate roster battle behind Jeremy Swayman.

That battle is over, at least for opening night. Providence is now Zajicek's destination, and the 25-year-old will have to force his way back onto Boston's radar from the AHL.

The assignment carries extra weight because Zajicek entered camp without a single NHL game on his résumé. Boston gave him a look, but the club ultimately chose development and playing time over an NHL roster spot.

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At 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, Zajicek brought a different option to the crease. He also arrived as an undrafted goaltender with very little margin for error in a crowded camp.

Zajicek's NHL opportunity closes for now

That makes Thursday's decision a tough one for Zajicek. He had moved close enough to the NHL picture that the backup possibility felt real, only to see the Bruins send him down before the season.

His contract also made him an inexpensive option. Zajicek carries an $850000 cap hit this season and is scheduled to become a restricted free agent when the deal expires.

Boston already has major money committed in net to Swayman, whose cap hit sits at $8250000. Zajicek's path was never about replacing the starter. It was about earning the chair beside him.

Now the assignment changes the challenge. Instead of convincing Sturm during camp, Zajicek needs to stack strong starts in Providence and make himself the first option if Boston needs help.

The door isn't permanently closed. Goaltending depth gets tested over a long season, and an AHL assignment in September doesn't erase the impression a player made during camp.

But this was the roster decision that mattered. Zajicek came to camp with an NHL opportunity in front of him and leaves it headed for Providence.

For a goalie trying to turn his first NHL contract into his first NHL appearance, the next move has to come from the crease.

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