Bruins

Bruins sign potential rookie backup goalie to contract extension

Last season in Providence, Brandon Bussi went 23-10-5 with a .913 save percentage.

Brandon Bussi could be in line for NHL reps this upcoming season with Boston. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

June 24, 2024

While most Bruins fans await any news regarding Linus Ullmark’s future in Boston, Don Sweeney and his staff shored up another area of the team’s goalie depth chart on Monday evening.

The Bruins announced that the team signed goaltender Brandon Bussi to a one-year, two-way contract extension through the 2024-25 season, representing a cap hit of $775,000.

The 25-year-old netminder has established himself as Boston’s top prospect between the pipes since signing with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2022. After a stellar collegiate career at Western Michigan, the Long Island native has continued to round out his game with the Providence Bruins.

In his first full season against AHL competition in 2022-23, Bussi earned All-Star honors for the P-Bruins, posting a 22-5-4 record with a .924 save percentage, good for the third-highest mark in the league.

In his follow-up campaign with Providence in 2023-24, Bussi went 23-10-5 with a .913 save percentage — elevating his game with a .922 save percentage over four Calder Cup playoff games.

What an absurd save by Brandon Bussi. pic.twitter.com/4niKXHOOyc
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) September 24, 2023

Even though he’s been called up to the NHL ranks a few times already in his career, Bussi has yet to make an official appearance for Boston during the regular season.

That might change in 2024-25, especially if Boston does find a trade partner for Linus Ullmark and a vacancy opens up on the Bruins’ goalie depth chart.

While the Bruins could opt to allocate some of their cap flexibility this offseason and sign a cheaper, veteran goalie to back up Jeremy Swayman next season, Boston could roll the dice and save even more cash if it believes that Bussi is ready for back-up duties in the NHL at this stage of his career.

Of course, the Bruins still need to find a suitor for Ullmark (or more importantly, find a team that Ullmark would want to waive his no-trade protection for) in order to facilitate a path for Bussi to earn NHL reps in 2024-25.