The Boston Bruins are facing a situation with goaltender Jeremy Swayman still unsigned as opening night approaches. Joonas Korpisalo is set to be the starting goalie for Boston on October 8, but the backup role remains uncertain. On Wednesday, the Bruins claimed goaltender from the Vancouver Canucks as a potential option. Patera had signed a two-year, two-way deal in Vancouver to serve as their No. 3 goalie behind Thatcher Demko and Arturs Silovs, but he fell to fourth on the depth chart late in the summer. Although he was expected to begin the season as the third-string goalie with Demko sidelined due to a knee injury, his status became more uncertain with veteran Kevin Lankinen joining the team.
The Bruins have Brandon Bussi in the minors, but the 26-year-old has experienced a mixed preseason. On Tuesday, he made 13 saves and appeared sharper during a 4-1 victory over Philadelphia. With Patera’s addition, the Providence Bruins, Boston’s AHL affiliate, will have Bussi and Michael DiPietro this season, providing insurance in case Patera doesn’t pan out.
The 25-year-old Patera has played eight NHL games with the Vegas Golden Knights, who selected him in the sixth round of the 2017 draft. He holds a 3-3-1 record, a 3.57 goals-against average, and a .902 save percentage. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound goalie has spent parts of three seasons with the Henderson Silver Knights in the AHL, finishing the 2023-24 season with an 11-10-4 record, a 2.99 goals-against average, and a .902 save percentage.
The Bruins are currently at an impasse with Swayman in their contract negotiations and have suggested they might wait until the December 1 deadline to finalize a deal. In Swayman’s absence, especially after his strong postseason performance in a rotation with former teammate Linus Ullmark, the team will depend on Korpisalo as their primary goaltender.
The Bruins have the option to either sign Patera as the backup in Boston or place him on waivers to send him to Providence if he goes unclaimed.
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