Budding goaltender prospect Brandon Bussi may force Boston Bruins to make shocking roster move

Providence Bruins head coach Ryan Mougenel was highly complementary of Bussi when he arrived at training camp earlier this week. He noted that the goaltender has lost some weight and emphasized that he could push for the backup spot behind Jeremy Swayman.

This is very critical for the Bruins. Right now, Swayman remains unsigned so Bussi is technically already the backup, with Jonas Korpisalo serving as the de facto starter until the team can get their number one netminder signed. The most recent rumors about Swayman are that he and the Bruins remain far apart in their contract negotiations. In fact, it has been reported that the Bruins offered him a four-year deal with an average-annual-value of 6.2 million, far less than what most fans around the league are expecting him to get paid. If this offer was real, and at this point we don't really have a reason to think its not, it is understandable why Swayman would refuse to sign.

Meanwhile, Bussi had a good season last year in the AHL posting a 23-10-5 record, a .913 save percentage, and a 2.67 GAA. He also is listed at 6'4" which gives him a size advantage over many goaltenders around the league. This could help him make his NHL debut as early as this upcoming season. At 25 years old, he is just starting to get to the point where he might be ready for it, and his hard work this offseason to slim down is evidence that he is prepared for the next step. Perhaps the Bruins even view him as a potential starter in the future, and they are using him as leverage in their negotiations with Swayman. This is just speculation though.

This development is arguably more impactful for Jonas Korpisalo though, who was expected to be the team's backup this season after he signed a three-year deal worth 9 million dollars on July 1st. However, the Finish goalie did not put up very good numbers last season, with a 3.27 GAA and an .890 save percentage. Those numbers may very well scare the Bruins, especially if Bussi proves himself to be the better goaltender during camp and pre-season. As a result, we very well could see Korpisalo on the move before he even plays a single game for the team. Additionally, that would have the added benefit of giving the team the extra cap room they need to sign Swayman. Will things actually unfold this way though? Stay tuned to find out.

Source: BruinsInsider
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