If Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli doesn't think Hannu Toivonen can reclaim his touch, he might deal the 22- year-old goalie and concentrate on developing Tuukka Rask, who's expected to sign before June.

One NHL agent said the Kings could be interested in Toivonen because Mike O'Connell, the Kings' director of pro development, was a big fan of the Finn when he was the Bruins' general manager.

Los Angeles already has young netminding prospects in Jonathan Bernier, the 11th overall pick in the 2006 draft, and the University of Massachusetts' Jon Quick (third round, 2005).

But Providence Bruins coach Scott Gordon compared Toi- vonen, who has played in only 36 NHL games, to Buffalo's Ryan Miller and Calgary's Miikka Kiprusoff, two elite netminders who struggled in their early 20s.

"If you look at Kiprusoff and Miller, if they had given up on them at their age, they'd be kicking themselves," Gordon said. "I think it's a similar thing with Hannu."