Bruins Prospect and WHL Swift Current Broncos Goaltender Reid Dyck Extends Winning Streak to Eight Games

By: Mark Allred | Follow me on Twitter / X @BlackAndGold277

Over the weekend, Boston Bruins prospect and Swift Current Broncos goaltender Reid Dyck stopped a total of 49 shots, beating the Medicine Hat Tigers in a back-to-back, home-and-home series. In the victories over Medicine Hat on Friday and Saturday, the Western Hockey League Broncos extended their current winning streak to six games, while netminder Dyck extended his career-high streak to eight games.

The former 2022 sixth-round selection of the Boston Bruins has certainly had his challenges in this his best and most likely final year of developing in the WHL. Dyck has suffered two significant injuries this season, one to start the hockey season and another midway through this regular season campaign. Regardless of when Reid missed time, he rehabbed appropriately and got right back on track when he returned to his Broncos club.

So far, in 28 games this season, the Manitoba, Canada native has a record of 19-6-2 with a 2.59 goals-against-average and a .915 save percentage. The last two seasons have been an important duration for Reid because it’s a chance for the young netminding prospect to stretch his legs and show what he can do as the Bronco’s legitimate starting goaltender. Last season, he appeared in 40 games and posted a record of 15-23-1-1 with a 3.62 GAA and .887 Save% on a Swift Current team that missed the WHL Playoffs by three points.

This season, Dyck and the Broncos are in a much better situation than last year, even though the team pretty much stayed the same over the offseason. Swift Current is in second place in the WHL Central Division, four points behind the leading Medicine Hat Tigers. In the WHL Conference scope and postseason picture, the Broncos currently sit in the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference with 11 games to go in the regular season.

With the Broncos already passing last season’s regular season point total of 66, Swift Current is heavily favored to secure a 2024 postseason spot in hopes of extending an impressive year. Dyck has pretty much carried the Bronco’s backend this season, so he’s a shoo-in as the starter for the upcoming playoffs. This upcoming postseason will be Reid’s first, and the added pressure in the playoffs will be good as he continues to develop.

Regardless of how far the Swift Current Broncos go this year, this is most likely the last for Dyck, as previously mentioned. The 6′-4″ 198-pound netminder could sign an amateur tryout agreement to finish the year in the ECHL with the Maine Mariners or in the American Hockey League with the Providence Bruins. If an entry-level contract is to follow for the former sixth-round selection, it will likely mean a departure in the crease is coming this offseason.

The Providence Bruins are currently riding one of the best AHL tandems in the crease with netminders Brandon Bussi and Michael DiPietro, while goaltender Kyle Keyser is with the ECHL Maine Mariners. Bussi, DiPietro, and Keyser are all currently on one-year, two-way deals, and all are restricted free agents at the end of this season and have arbitration rights.

While it would appear the Boston Bruins would like to hang onto Bussi and DiPietro in Providence for the upcoming season, the future of Keyser remains to be seen as he’s been seemingly passed on the depth chart by members of the current AHL Bruins tandem. We also have to consider that the potential upward rise to pro hockey for Reid Dyck could align with the same path for current Bruins prospect Philip Svedeback, who’s currently playing in his sophomore season in the NCAA at Providence College. It remains to be seen if Svedeback leaves Providence College and turns pro after this season, but if he does, the goaltending landscape could change a little with who plays where in the Bruins minor-pro system.

I believe the path for a netminder like Reid Dyck should start in the ECHL with the Maine Mariners, much like Bussi got his start in pro hockey after leaving the NCAA at Western Michigan. Having Reid closer to the Bruins area of operation here in New England exposes the 20-year-old to the underrated efforts of goaltending development coach and former NHL netminder Mike Dunham. Since joining Bob Essensa’s staff, the Boston Bruins crease has certainly raised a few eyebrows around the league as an organization on the right track concerning its goaltending development and depth.