CALGARY, Alberta — The Bruins will find some company when they head to Edmonton this week: Malcolm Subban.
Boston is planning to recall the goaltender from Providence, according to general manager Peter Chiarelli, and he will join the team on its next stop in Edmonton. Subban is expected to see his first NHL action at some point on the road trip, which continues through Edmonton, St. Louis, and Chicago.
"If we're bringing him back, which is what we had talked about at some point, bringing him back, it's probably to give him an opportunity here along the way," coach Claude Julien said.
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It is possible that the Bruins could be showcasing Subban for a potential trade. Tuukka Rask, after all, is the established starter in Boston after signing an eight-year, $56 million contract in July 2013. The trade deadline is approaching, and the Bruins could use some reinforcements.
Boston, though, also made a similar move last season, when Niklas Svedberg came up for one game in January. He beat Nashville on Jan. 2, at a time when then-backup goalie Chad Johnson was struggling. Johnson recovered to provide valuable goaltending down the stretch.
Subban has already spent some time in the NHL earlier this month, when the Bruins sent Svedberg to Providence on a conditioning assignment. He was recalled on Jan. 30 and sent back to the AHL on Feb. 9, without having seen any action.
"I think we went through that with our goaltender last year, with Chad Johnson," Julien said. "He still remained our No. 2 goaltender. All it is is No. 1 is competition, No. 2 is an opportunity. Malcolm was with us for the week there, we didn't get a chance to play him. Maybe after a week and going back, maybe he gets that opportunity."
For his part, Svedberg did not play well in his last opportunity with the Bruins. He started the game against Dallas on Feb. 10 and lasted just one period before Julien opted to replace him with Rask. He gave up three goals on 10 shots in that game, his first in the NHL since Jan. 8.
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Svedberg did play four games in the AHL on his conditioning stint, going 3-1-0 with a 2.76 goals against average and a .911 save percentage, but he has seen little action in the NHL. Svedberg has played just twice since Dec. 27, and has been pulled in two of his last three games for the Bruins.
"It's not my decision, so I'm just going to focus on my stuff," Svedberg said, of the Subban recall. "That's it for me."
Svedberg was very hard on himself after the Dallas game, saying that his performance was unacceptable, especially given that the Bruins had been trying to give Rask the night off and weren't able to do so. Rask has played in 13 consecutive games, and in 22 of the Bruins' last 23 games.
"I think my game feels pretty good, in practice and I played four games in Providence and felt good," Svedberg said on Monday. "It really bothers me I didn't play well last game. It's my own fault. That's the way it is sometimes, especially when you don't play as much you've got to take the chance when you get it, and last time I didn't.
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"It is what it is. It was a disappointing game for me, but you can't really walk around thinking about that anymore. I've just got to work hard to be ready next time."
Flames at a glance
■ When, where: Monday, 9 p.m., at Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta.
■ TV, radio: NESN, WBZ-FM (98.5).
■ Goals: Sean Monahan 19, Jiri Hudler 16, Johnny Gaudreau 15.
■ Assists: Mark Giordano 33, Hudler 29, Gaudreau 27.
■ Goaltending: Jonas Hiller (18-16-2, 2.43 GAA), Karri Ramo (9-5-1, 2.56).
■ Head to head: This is the first of two meetings.
■ Miscellany: Calgary currently holds the second wild card in the Western Conference. The Flames haven't qualified for the postseason since 2009 . . . Calgary has allowed just 19 goals in its last nine games, going 6-3-0 in that span . . . Gaudreau, the former Hobey Baker Award winner from Boston College, will be playing his first career game against the Bruins
Amalie Benjamin can be reached at abenjamin@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @amaliebenjamin.