With Jeremy Swayman's contract situation still unresolved, the Boston Bruins have added another goaltender to the mix.
On Wednesday, the team announced it claimed Jiri Patera off waivers from the Vancouver Canucks.
Patera, 25, was a sixth-round selection in the 2017 NHL Draft by the Las Vegas Golden Knights. The Czechia native has played in 85 AHL games, posting an overall record of 37-40-6 with a 2.92 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. He appeared in eight NHL games for Vegas between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.
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Last season, Patera posted an 11-10-4 record with a 2.99 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage in 25 games with the Henderson Silver Knights (AHL). He signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Canucks on July 1.
It's unclear whether the Bruins' addition of Patera is related to their contentious negotiations with Swayman. The two sides remain at odds after president Cam Neely suggested the team offered their restricted free-agent goaltender a $64 million contract, a claim Swayman's agent vehemently denied.
With the goaltending situation in flux, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery stated Joonas Korpisalo is in line to start next Tuesday's regular-season opener vs. the Florida Panthers. Brandon Bussi, who spent the previous two seasons in Providence, is the current backup to Korpisalo.
