By: Ellie Man | Follow me on Twitter/X @ellieyym
It’s no secret that the Boston Bruins are looking for reliable impact centers and high-end defensemen to fill their current gaps. Their prospects remain in the pipeline, such as Elliott Groenewold and Chris Pelosi, who both currently reside in the collegiate ranks. Other young talents, including James Hagens, are enthusiastically viewed as future stars, though they will undoubtedly require further time to grow into the elite level. But the Bruins have no such problem with goaltenders.
Jeremy Swayman – or, aptly nicknamed, Bulldog – is the Bruins’ first goalie, signing through the 2031-32 season on a hefty eight-year contract extension. The Alaska-born player is coming off an encouraging year in which the Bruins unexpectedly made it into the playoffs. He put up a 2.71 GAA and .908 SV% across 55 games, firmly establishing himself as a dependable and trusted starter.
Joonas Korpisalo has served as the team’s secondary goalie since 2024. While at times shaky, he has provided stable relief behind Swayman to manage the intense workload. Shouldering 28 starts in the last season, Korpisalo recorded a 3.15 GAA and .894 SV%.
Taking on Korpisalo was a controversial decision, coming as part of a trade deal with the Ottawa Senators for Linus Ullmark. At the time, Korpisalo had posted rocky statistics of a 3.27 GAA and .890 SV%, and the Canadian team saddled the Bruins with 25% of his remaining contract at $1 million annually. But the Bruins’ front office was willing to look past his lackluster performance for the benefit of experience. Plus Mark Kastelic and, more importantly, a first-round 2024 draft pick, which later became Dean Letourneau.
With two National Hockey League-calibre goalies locked in, the Bruins were forced to face a logjam in their development program. Unable to keep their depth of emerging goaltenders, they gambled on Michael DiPietro.
At first glance, DiPietro admittedly looks promising. He recorded an impressive 1.91 GAA and .930 SV% in his latest season, alongside winning his second consecutive Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award. But it remains that the decision to let Brandon Bussi slip through the cracks was a difficult one. He had grown his game in the Bruins’ system and proved he had what it takes.
In his first display with Providence, Bussi looked sharp right away. He appeared in five games, supporting three wins which included a shutout. To demonstrate this wasn’t a simple fluke, his inaugural full season with the team went on to show a strong campaign. Bussi played 32 games and finished with a 2.40 GAA and .924 SV%.
But to make way for Korpisalo, the Bruins weren’t able to keep Bussi. With their hands all but tied, the young goalie was let go.
Picked up by the Florida Panthers, then later claimed by the Carolina Hurricanes on waivers, Bussi has proven to be a valuable asset at the National Hockey League level. He achieved a 5-1 victory in his debut, broke a record to speedily win 21 out of his first 25 games, and earned a regular role in Carolina’s rotation.
Most recently, Bussi played in game four of the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals in his first playoff start. As expected, his performance wasn’t perfect, especially as the Hurricanes allowed some dangerous breakaway chances. Still, he made 18 saves to earn a 5-3 victory, enabling the Hurricanes to tie the series against the Vegas Golden Knights (2-2).
There’s no saying what Bussi could – or would – have done in Boston. Responses to teams, coaches, and environments are unique to each individual, encouraging some while stifling others. However, the question remains of what Bussi might have shown had he been given the opportunity to play.
The Bruins are often criticized for the development of their prospects, particularly when it comes to giving young players a legitimate chance to stick in the lineup. For example, the stagnation of Fabian Lysell. Selected 21st overall in the 2021 Draft, the forward has spent the better part of five seasons waiting for a sustained National Hockey League opportunity. Instead, he finds himself caught between brief call-ups and the American Hockey League, blocked from securing a regular role on the roster.
But, adversely, the goaltender pipeline suffers from too much success. Their goalies are skilled and eager to take the next step. More than that, they’re hungry to prove themselves. It’s now up to the front office to give them a chance, or risk losing them elsewhere, having developed talent for another organization. Boston can only hope that Bussi will not later be a thorn in their side.
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