Spend some time watching Providence Bruins rookie goalie Dan Vladar and two things jump out at you.

First, does he ever take up a lot of net. At 6-foot-5, he has the kind of size NHL teams covet.

Second, he usually has a smile on his face. “I’m like my mom, she’s always smiling, too,’’ he says.

Vladar, a native of the Czech Republic, has lots to smile about these days.

His solid play since being summoned from Atlanta of the ECHL on Oct. 24 has helped a slow-starting P-Bruins team stay afloat in the early going. Considering that he just turned 19 in late August and is making the jump to pro hockey straight from the United States Hockey League, Vladar qualifies as a pleasant surprise so far.

In his four starts, the P-Bruins have earned six of a possible eight points, with two wins, an overtime loss and a shootout loss. Coach Kevin Dean was confident enough in the youngster to start him last Sunday against a loaded Wilkes-Barre/Scranton team instead of Malcolm Subban, the first-round pick who is trying to find his game after a subpar first couple of weeks.

“It’s nice to see a young player take advantage of an opportunity and he’s getting rewarded as a result of that. He deserves to be in the net today,’’ said Boston general manager Don Sweeney, between periods of Sunday’s very entertaining game, which Providence lost in a shootout, 5-4.

Realistically, Vladar is likely headed back to the ECHL as soon as the right wrist of Boston backup goalie Anton Khudobin heals and Zane McIntyre returns to the P-Bruins from the parent club. Subban, 22, and McIntyre, 24, are ahead of Vladar on Boston's depth chart.

But in the meantime Vladar is making it known that he is a prospect to watch.

With his upbeat attitude and willingness to battle on every shot, the youngster has endeared himself to coaches and teammates in Providence.

“He competes his (butt) off. He just loves hockey. Every day he’s happy. Works hard. He’s a great kid to coach,’’ says Dean.

“The dressing room is always eager and excited about welcoming guys,’’ says team captain Tommy Cross. “But when it’s a young kid -- he’s European, he’s not from around here -- he’s a breath of fresh air. He’s very positive and that’s contagious.’’

Vladar – the second-youngest player in the AHL behind 18-year-old Alex Nylander of Rochester – says he ended up in the net at age six because he was the worst skater on his team back home in Prague. After being drafted by Boston in the third round, 75th overall, in 2015, Vladar came to North America to play for the USHL’s Chicago Steel last season.

Steel assistant coach Peter Mannino has become a friend and mentor. “I’m very proud of him. He’s a great kid,’’ says Mannino, a former goalie who was the MVP of the Frozen Four for national champion Denver University in 2005 and went on to an eight-year pro career.

“He’s dynamic in his movements, very explosive and obviously his size is something that not a lot of guys have. My biggest thing with Vladdie is his compete. He battles for every puck. He hates to get scored on and that’s the pro mentality. You fight to the last second on every single shot,’’ says Mannino.

“I preach to him that as you go to the higher levels, you’ve got to be able to control your compete and that’s what he’s learning to do. He’s so big, he doesn’t need to do certain things in the aggressiveness category. Just settle down and kind of be there.’’

Confidence is a work in progress, according to both Vladar and Mannino.

“For sure, he helps me, he builds up my confidence,’’ Vladar says of Mannino.

Says Mannino: “He has to understand the fine line between being confident and believing in yourself and being borderline cocky. Now when I say to him, ‘Are you going to get a win today?’ He says yes. Whereas last year, he’d say, ‘I think so.’ He just did it the other night, on Saturday. I said, ‘Don’t do that. You know you can win.’ He’s still so young as a person.’’

And Vladar did win, making 35 saves in a 6-2 victory over Hartford.

Whether he is sent back to the ECHL or not, Vladar will forge ahead. Chances are he'll be smiling all the way.

“I’m totally ready to go to Atlanta or stay here, either way. I’ll just do my best to be the best goalie I can be,’’ he said.