Boston Bruins claim goalie Jiri Patera on waivers as Jeremy Swayman remains unsigned

It's an interesting move, as the Boston Bruins have claimed goaltender Jiri Patera off the waiver wire courtesy of the Vancouver Canucks. This signing could add more depth in net to the Bruins, depending on where he falls in the lineup for the team. His exact role is not well known at this time, but either he could be a backup to Jonas Korpisalo or make his way with the Bruins to their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins.

The Patera journey to Boston started this summer when he inked a two-year, $1.55 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks. The 25-year-old has flashed potential at various moments, and Boston might view him as a quality insurance policy in net. He has experience at both levels of the NHL and AHL, which has him available to add value either as a fill-in at the NHL level or as a stable presence in Providence.

Patera played this past season under the Vegas Golden Knights organization in both the NHL and AHL. He compiled a 1-3-1 record with a 3.98 goals against average for Vegas. In the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights, he went 11-10-4 in 25 starts to go along with a 2.99 GAA. These numbers aren't exactly going to jump off the page, but Patera has consistently demonstrated an ability to bounce back and fight through some adversity, which could benefit him moving into Boston's system.

Patera was originally drafted by the Vegas Golden Knights, 161st overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. His development took him across a number of leagues, starting with the USHL's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders where he posted a 13-13-0 record. He played two seasons with the WHL's Brandon Wheat Kings before going back to his home country of Czechia to continue playing with Ceske Budejovice HC. After struggling in Czechia, including a 2-12-0 start, Patera came back to North America and began his career in the AHL with the Silver Knights.

Needless to say, the goaltending situation for the Bruins is unstable. The whole saga with starting goaltender Jeremy Swayman adds drama to it all. According to insider Frank Seravalli, the Bruins extended Swayman an eight-year offer carrying an average annual value of $7.8 million. That proved to be contentious. Team president Cam Neely indicated a slightly different proposal of $64 million over eight years. Swayman's agent, Lewis Gross, publicly denied that. That leaves Patera, at least for now, providing a layer of security.

The bottom line is that Jiri Patera gives the Bruins another option in net as they fight through the uncertain future of their goaltending situation. Whether he plays a big role with the Bruins or spends some extra developing time in the AHL, his experience alone could make him quite valuable. For now, everyone waits on the continued negotiations with Jeremy Swayman, and how that situation unfolds will go a long way to determining exactly what kind of role Patera plays going forward. Will Swayman be traded? Offer sheeted perhaps? Only time will tell.