Perhaps as a sign that the Bruins are girding themselves for a long contract stalemate with Jeremy Swayman, the club dipped into the waiver wire on Wednesday and claimed 25-year-old goalie Jiri Patera from the Vancouver Canucks.
Last season while with the Vegas organization, Patera was 11-10-4 with a 2.99 GAA and .903 save percentage with the Henderson Silver Knights (AHL). In 2022-23, he was 14-15-1 with a 2.88 GAA and .911 save percentage in Henderson. The 2017 sixth round pick of the Knights has played eight games in the NHL over the last two seasons, posting a 3-3-1 record with a .902 save percentage and 3.57 GAA for Vegas.
That resume does not suggest that the B’s envision Patera as a replacement for Swayman, but he could provide some more competition for Brandon Bussi, who right now is trending toward being Joonas Korpisalo’s backup in Boston.
Bussi has had some rebound control issues in the preseason and at times in his career in Providence, but he came up with two big high danger stops in the third period in the B’s 4-1 win over the Flyers in preseason action on Tuesday. He made 13 saves in recording the win.
