( Photo Credit: Tessa McAndrews / Providence Bruins )

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

The National Hockey League Boston Bruins announced today that the organization had agreed with goaltender Brandon Bussi on a one-year, two-way contract extension for the upcoming 2024-25 season. The 25-year-old undrafted netminder will carry a $775,000 cap hit at the NHL level in this new deal.

Last season with the Bruins American Hockey League affiliate, the 6′-4″ 227-pound New York native had a career year in wins, posting a 23-10-5 record, a 2.67 goals-against-average, and a .913 save percentage. In 78 career AHL games, the Long Island, New York native has a 48-17-9 record, a 2.55 GAA, and a .918%.

Bussi is an extremely hard worker who’s excelled at every level of hockey he’s been given the opportunity to do so. This was sneakingly good scouting from the Bruins staff to pounce on a free-agent player like him after leaving the NCAA ranks with the Western Michigan Broncos and signing an entry-level deal at the end of the 2021-22 season. Brandon has done everything that’s been asked of him throughout his hockey career to get to this point, and by the sounds of it, he may get his first taste of the NHL this upcoming season.

With the Bruins in contract negotiations with Jeremey Swayman and the increased rumors of Linus Ullmark being traded to the Ottawa Senators, this is an excellent opportunity for a goaltender like Bussi to challenge for the backup role out of training camp. While it was unlikely that the NHL backup role behind Swayman wasn’t going to be just handed to Brandon, this most likely created competition with fellow goaltender Micheal DiPietro and a possible veteran addition via free agency after July 1st.

There are a few things to remember about goaltenders like Bussi and DiPietro. Both signed one-year, two-way deals this year as restricted free agents. Both will require waivers if they do not perform up to the Bruins standards out of training camp this fall and will be exposed to anyone in the league looking to add quality young netminders. It’s a sad part of the business, but after you’ve spent three or more seasons in the minor-pro systems if AHL demotion is needed, the player must be exposed for others to claim for a 24-hour period.