Anton Khudobin is a professional ice hockey goaltender who has played for several teams in the National Hockey League (NHL) over the course of his career. Khudobin was born in Kazakhstan in 1986 and began playing hockey at a young age. He moved to Russia as a teenager to pursue his hockey career and played for several teams in the Russian Superleague before being drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2004.
Khudobin made his NHL debut with the Wild in 2009 and played in a handful of games over the next few seasons. He was traded to the Boston Bruins in 2011 and became the team's backup goaltender behind Tuukka Rask. Khudobin played well in his limited opportunities with the Bruins and helped the team reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 2013.
After two seasons with the Bruins, Khudobin signed with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2013 and became their starting goaltender. He played well for the Hurricanes over the next two seasons but struggled in the 2015-16 season and was eventually traded to the Anaheim Ducks.
Khudobin played just eight games for the Ducks before being traded to the Boston Bruins in 2016. He once again became the team's backup goaltender behind Rask and played well in his limited opportunities. Khudobin signed with the Dallas Stars in 2018 and became their backup goaltender behind Ben Bishop.
Khudobin played a key role in the Stars' run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2020, filling in for Bishop when he was injured and playing some of the best hockey of his career. He signed a three-year contract extension with the Stars after the season and continued to serve as their backup goaltender in the 2020-21 season.
Overall, Khudobin has had a successful NHL career as a backup goaltender, playing well in his limited opportunities and helping his teams reach the playoffs. He has also had success in international competition, representing Russia at several World Championships and winning a bronze medal in 2016.
🏒