Author’s note: Josh Hennessy, a veteran of the Binghamton Senators and Ottawa Senators spent the 2010-11 season with Lugano in the Swiss-A league before the Bruins acquired him this offseason. As a result, there are no reliable game logs with which to assess his past season and weigh his 2011-12 outlook with the P-Bruins.
It is worth nothing that Hennessy has scored at least 20 goals in each of five AHL seasons. He most recently had a career-high 30 strikes and 68 points for Binghamton in 2009-10. With that much seasoning and that kind of scoring touch, he ought to bear lofty expectations in Providence.
Hutchinson
Opening statement
Boston’s third-round pick in the 2008 NHL entry draft, goaltender Michael Hutchinson embarks on his second season in the Bruins farm system. So far, he has aggregated a 22-15-5 record between Providence and ECHL’s Reading Royals.
2010-11 Highlights (With Reading and Providence)
• Won five straight decisions with the P-Bruins between Nov. 5 and Nov. 24. Earned team Player of the Month honors for November.
• Stopped 41 out of 43 shots in a 2-1 overtime loss at the Worcester Sharks, who held the P-Bruins skaters to only 16 shots on goal.
• Recorded his first professional shutout with the Royals, stopping all 30 Elmira Jackals shots for a 2-0 win Jan. 9.
• Stopped a season-high 47 out of 50 shots in regulation and overtime, then repelled all four of the Portland Pirates shootout attempts for a 4-3 home win Feb. 18.
• Shut out the host Abbotsford Heat with a 30-save performance Feb. 25.
• Extended his personal winning streak to a season-best four games Nov. 24, when he backstopped a 2-1 overtime win at Bridgeport.
• Won all three of his starts in the month of April, stopping 92 out of 97 shots in that span.
2010-11 Lowlights
• Pulled from an eventual 6-4 win over the Albany Devils at the 3:30 mark of the second period after giving up four goals on 21 shots Nov. 7.
• Lost three straight AHL decisions between Dec. 10 and Dec. 28, authorizing 14 goals on 96 shots in that span.
• Gave up six goals on 29 shots in Reading’s loss to Elmira Jan. 15.
• Gave up six goals on 26 shots in Reading’s loss to the Florida Everblades Jan. 19.
2011-12 Outlook
Barring an injury that would require a rehab assignment or just an utter collapse in his reliability, Hutchinson ought to have seen the last of his ECHL days. And with presumptive P-Bruins starter Anton Khudobin primed to step in as needed by the parent club, he need not feel any rush to take a crack at The Show.
By the same token, even if he is the backup for the better part of the year, Hutchinson should not frost over at any time. Expect him to see action in just a little less than half of the 76-game AHL schedule and to build upon an altogether irreproachable rookie campaign.
