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Brandon Bussi

Waiver Wire: 10/6/24

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Today is the major day for the waiver wire as most teams in the NHL are preparing the 23-man rosters for the 2024-25 NHL season. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman confirmed that all players on waivers from yesterday have cleared. The following list is each player placed on waivers this afternoon as reported by PuckPedia.

Boston Bruins

F Patrick Brown
G Brandon Bussi
G Jiri Patera
D Billy Sweezey
F Jeffrey Viel

Buffalo Sabres

D Kale Clague
G James Reimer
F Lukas Rousek

Calgary Flames

G Devin Cooley
F Jakob Pelletier
F Cole Schwindt

Carolina Hurricanes

F Josiah Slavin
D Ty Smith
F Ryan Suzuki

Chicago Blackhawks 

D Isaak Phillips

Detroit Red Wings

F Sheldon Dries
D Justin Holl
D William Lagesson
D Brogan Rafferty
F Joe Snively

Edmonton Oilers

D Josh Brown
F Drake Caggiula
F Raphael Lavoie
G Olivier Rodrigue

Los Angeles Kings

G Pheonix Copley
F Samuel Fagemo
F Jack Studnicka

Nashville Predators

D Marc Del Gaizo

New Jersey Devils

F Shane Bowers
D Nick DeSimone
F Nolan Foote
D Colton White

New York Islanders

D Samuel Bolduc
F Pierre Engvall
F Hudson Fasching
F Liam Foudy
G Marcus Hogberg
D Grant Hutton
F Fredrik Karlstrom
G Jakub Skarek

New York Rangers

D Matthew Robertson

Ottawa Senators

F Adam Gaudette
F Jan Jenik

Pittsburgh Penguins

D Sebastian Aho
F Bokondji Imama

St. Louis Blues

D Corey Schueneman
D Tyler Tucker

Tampa Bay Lightning

F Gage Goncalves
D Steven Santini
F Jesse Ylonen

Toronto Maple Leafs

G Matt Murray
D Marshall Rifai

Utah Hockey Club

G Matt Villalta

Vancouver Canucks

D Erik Brannstrom

Vegas Golden Knights

F Zach Aston-Reese
F Tanner Laczynski
F Jonas Rondbjerg

Washington Capitals

G Hunter Shepard

Winnipeg Jets

F Jaret Anderson-Dolan

Bruins Sign Brandon Bussi To Two-Way Extension

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The Bruins announced Monday that they’ve signed depth netminder Brandon Bussi to a one-year, two-way deal covering next season. It carries a cap hit of $775K salary, and he’ll earn $225K in the minors with a $275K guarantee, per PuckPedia.

Bussi, 25, has served as their third-string netminder for the past two seasons. He’s been recalled under emergency conditions a handful of times but has yet to make his NHL debut.

An undrafted free agent signing out of Western Michigan University in 2022, the 6’4″ Bussi has provided good value for the Bruins’ AHL affiliate in Providence. He was electric last season and earned AHL All-Rookie Team honors with a sparkling 22-5-4 record, .924 SV% and 2.40 GAA in 32 games, although he regressed somewhat to a .913 SV% and 2.67 GAA in 41 appearances this year. It was still a solid showing for the New York native, who’s aggressively knocking on the door for NHL time.

For now, though, he’s expected to remain in the starter’s crease for the P-Bruins to open next season. Even if the Bruins move on from Linus Ullmark via trade, they’ll likely replace his spot with a goalie coming back the other way or via a free-agent signing. A two-way extension for Bussi doesn’t exude confidence that they envision him as the backup to Jeremy Swayman entering 2024-25.

One complicating factor is that, for the first time, Bussi will require waivers to head to Providence if he doesn’t crack the NHL roster out of training camp. After a pair of strong seasons with the P-Bruins, there’s a decent chance he’d be claimed.

Atlantic Notes: Swayman, Bussi, Houle

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While a Linus Ullmark trade is the expected outcome when it comes to what happens with Boston’s goaltending situation, Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe discusses the other possibility on the trade front.  Instead of moving Ullmark and signing Jeremy Swayman to a long-term deal, perhaps extending Ullmark and moving Swayman could be the better way to go for the Bruins.

Swayman has two years of club control remaining (with arbitration eligibility) and is coming off the better year between the two plus a strong playoff showing that saw him post a 2.15 GAA and a .933 SV% in a dozen starts.  His trade value would be considerably higher as a result, giving the Bruins a chance to potentially fill multiple needs, including an impact center and a defensive upgrade.  At this point, it doesn’t seem likely to happen but if trade talks surrounding Ullmark stall out over extension discussions, the Bruins could certainly consider flipping the script.  Considering how quickly the goalie market moves in the summer, however, it’s a decision they’d have to make rather quickly.

More from the Atlantic:

  • Speaking of Bruins netminders, Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal reports (Twitter link) that the team has made progress on a new deal for pending RFA goaltender Brandon Bussi. The 25-year-old is coming off a strong year with AHL Providence where he had a 2.67 GAA with a .913 SV% in 41 games.  Depending on if Boston has to take a goalie back in the eventual trade and how they plan to use their cap space, it’s possible that he could be in line to take over the second-string duties next season despite not having yet made an appearance at the NHL level.
  • Just weeks after signing him to a three-year contract, Jean-Francois Houle is no longer the head coach with Montreal’s AHL affiliate in Laval. The Canadiens announced on Friday that they’ve agreed to mutually part ways with Houle, allowing him to be hired by Clarkson University for their head coaching position.  It’s a return home of sorts for Houle as he played there and also began his coaching career with them as an assistant before moving on to the QMJHL and then the professional ranks.  With free agency on the horizon, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Montreal try to fill this vacancy before the end of the month.

Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman, Linus Ullmark Hoping To Return

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The Boston Bruins are bringing a close to their season with exit interviews on Sunday. And despite rumors and skepticism all season long, both halves of their star goalie tandem have expressed excitement for next season. Jeremy Swayman – the younger of the pair and Boston’s most recent starter – told reporters he hopes to sign a long-term extension with the Bruins, per Ty Anderson of the 985 Sports Hub Underground (Twitter link). Swayman added that he’s confident a deal will get done and that he doesn’t want to play anywhere else.

Meanwhile, de facto backup Linus Ullmark curbed trade rumors, emphasizing that he has one more year on his contract to Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com (Twitter link). Ullmark told Benjamin, “I have one more year. I wouldn’t want anything else than to come back here, get a little bit of a revenge tour. I’m very excited, motivated for what’s to come.”

Ullmark was similarly stand-offish when asked about his 16-team no-trade-clause, shares Anderson, saying that the teams on his list are there for a reason (Twitter link). Ullmark reportedly blocked a Trade Deadline move to the Los Angeles Kings with his no-trade clause, though neither Ullmark nor general manager Don Sweeney have confirmed that. Nonetheless, the former Vezina Trophy winner is standing by his contractual rights, which could make any off-season move that much tougher to pull off.

But that doesn’t mean Boston isn’t still shopping Ullmark around. Moving him remains a top priority for the team prior to the 2024 NHL Draft, shares Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic. Shinzawa adds that Ullmark’s concerns with a mid-season move were more related to moving away from his family or relocating his children’s schooling than concerns with the destination. Those worries should be mitigated by the off-season, though they speak to the layers of human consideration that go into trade talks. Luckily, Ullmark should have no shortage of suitors on the open market – boasting a $5MM cap hit for one more season, an incredibly affordable price for a former Vezina winner.

Breaking up the 2023 William Jennings Trophy winners certainly seems like a smart idea for the Bruins. Swayman proved that he can stay consistent this season, posting 25 wins and a .916 save percentage through 44 games. But his ice time remained limited, with Boston still awarding Ullmark 40 games of his own. He vindicated the appearances with 22 wins and a .915 of his own. The two were nearly indistinguishable, with Boston even cycling them out in the postseason. And while two great goaltenders is a great problem to have, it’s also preventing Boston from tapping into their great depth chart. Namely, AHL starter Brandon Bussi has seemingly earned an NHL call-up. He posted 23 wins and a .913 in 41 AHL games this year, and is showing patented Bruins clutch in the playoffs, with a .922 through four games . The performances have brought Bussi up to 48 wins and a .918 save percentage in 78 AHL games since 2021 – ranked eighth in the league in wins and 16th in save percentage in that span. Moving Ullmark would have the tri-tiered benefits of allowing Swayman to take on a bigger role, creating opportunity for younger goalies, and returning to Boston what’s sure to be a substantial trade package.

Bruins Recall Brandon Bussi, Patrick Brown, Jayson Megna

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The Boston Bruins have recalled three players ahead of Game 5 against the Florida Panthers, including forwards Patrick Brown and Jayson Megna, and goaltender Brandon Bussi. The team has also assigned goaltender Michael DiPietro to the AHL. These moves follow the Providence Bruins’ elimination from the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs, losing the Atlantic Division Semifinals to the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Both Brown and Megna stepped into Boston’s lineup during the regular season, playing in 11 games and one game respectively. Brown was the only one to score, posting one assist in his bottom-of-the-lineup role. It’s the first year in the Boston organization for either player, with much of their season spent in the AHL. Megna made the most of the minutes, ranking second on Providence in scoring with 19 goals and 56 points in 69 games. Meanwhile, Brown posted a tamer 32 points in 42 AHL games. The pair will add stout depth to a Bruins team that played Game 4 without captain Brad Marchand. Justin Brazeau stepped in in relief, recording a +1 in 12:26 of ice time.

And while Brown and Megna will give the Bruins more options at forward, Bussi will serve as the team’s emergency third-string goaltender.The 25-year-old netminder is coming off a strong season with Providence, where he recorded 23 wins and a .913 save percentage in 41 games. It was another strong year for Bussi, who has now posted a save percentage above .910 in all three AHL seasons he’s taken part in. His career totals are up to 48 wins and a .918 across 78 AHL games, tying Bussi for the seventh-most wins and 14th-highest save percentage of any AHL goalie since 2021. He’s as strong of a third-string goalie that a team could ask for, though it’s very unlikely he’s able to crack the lineup ahead of superstar goaltender Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman.

Morning Notes: Alexandrov, Bussi, Ovechkin

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The St. Louis Blues have announced that they’ve recalled forward Nikita Alexandrov from his conditioning assignment with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the American Hockey League. Alexandrov was loaned to Springfield back on January 4th after he had been a healthy scratch for ten straight games with the Blues.

Alexandrov made the most of the demotion and was very productive with the Thunderbirds as he tallied two goals and five assists in seven games. The 23-year-old has no points in 10 NHL games this season with St. Louis and is a -2. He has averaged 7:28 of ice time per game with the Blues and has struggled badly at even strength.

In other morning notes:

  • The Boston Bruins have announced that they’ve returned goaltender Brandon Bussi to the Providence Bruins of the AHL. Bussi had been recalled on an emergency basis back on January 11th, although he didn’t see any game action during his recall. The 25-year-old has put together an impressive AHL career thus far but has yet to see any NHL action despite being recalled on a number of occasions. This year has been a struggle for Bussi as he has seen his save percentage fall dramatically to just .901 on the season while his goals-against average has climbed to 2.94.
  • Sammi Silber of The Hockey News is reporting that Washington Capitals star forward Alex Ovechkin will be a game-time decision tonight when they take on the Anaheim Ducks. It will make the fifth straight game that Ovechkin is a game-time decision as he tries to battle through a lower-body injury that has kept him out of the lineup since January 11th. Ovechkin has missed two games at this point but did take the entire morning skate with the Capitals today, although he sat out of the power-play reps. Ovechkin has just eight goals this season after tallying 42 last year. The 38-year-old had been heating up leading up to the injury with a goal and five assists in his last five games.

Afternoon Notes: Bruins, Cates, Senators

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The Boston Bruins saw a quartet of players return to practice, including rookie forward Matthew Poitras, defensemen Brandon Carlo and Derek Forbort, and starting goaltender Linus Ullmark. All four players were held out of the team’s Monday afternoon win over the New Jersey Devils. Of the four returnees, Poitras and Ullmark are the two who have avoided an injured reserve placement. Poitras is working his way back from a shoulder injury that’s held him out of the Bruins’ last three games, while Ullmark is coming back from a lower-body injury suffered in Boston’s overtime loss to the Arizona Coyotes one week ago. Carlo is facing an upper-body injury, while Forbort is facing an undisclosed injury that’s troubled him since training camp and earned him a placement on long-term IR in early December.

The Bruins are also missing forward Milan Lucic with injury – but they’ve progressed nicely regardless, going 2-0-1 in the three games they’ve played since losing Ullmark last Tuesday. Roster holes have been plugged by Jesper Boqvist, who is seeing his first NHL action since December, and Brandon Bussi, who is currently backing up Jeremy Swayman and could make his NHL debut if Swayman needs a breather before Ullmark is ready to return. Boqvist has managed two points in seven NHL games this year, while Bussi has operated as the starter for the AHL’s Providence Bruins and managed a .901 save percentage in 20 AHL games.

The Bruins also saw the return of Pavel Zacha on Monday. The 26-year-old missed the team’s Saturday win with illness.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Noah Cates is set to return to the Philadelphia Flyers lineup on Monday evening, as the Philadelphia Flyers take on the St. Louis Blues. Cates has been out since November 25th with a foot injury. He was off to a slow start to the season, managing just four points in 21 games – a step down from the 38 points he recorded in 82 games as a rookie last season.
  • The Ottawa Senators have promoted Justin Peters to the role of goaltending coach and assigned Zac Bierk to a scouting and development position. Peters is an 83-game veteran of the NHL, setting a career .901 save percentage. He also played in 301 career AHL games and managed a career .907 save percentage. He has been a goalie coach with the AHL’s Belleville Senators since the 2021-22 season.

Bruins Place Brandon Carlo On IR, Recall Brandon Bussi

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The Bruins placed defenseman Brandon Carlo on injured reserve retroactive to January 8, according to a team release. In a corresponding transaction, the team elevated netminder Brandon Bussi from AHL Providence on an emergency basis. Head coach Jim Montgomery said that 2023 Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and will not play tonight against the Golden Knights, so Bussi will back up Ullmark’s tandem partner, Jeremy Swayman.

Ullmark isn’t the only player who sustained an injury in Tuesday’s overtime loss to the Coyotes. Rookie Matthew Poitras suffered a shoulder injury and will also miss tonight’s game. He, too, is listed as day-to-day.

Carlo left the team’s game on Monday against the Avalanche in the second period with an upper-body injury, although it wasn’t clear what caused the premature exit. As a result of the IR placement, the 27-year-old has been ruled out of the team’s next three games. He will be eligible to return next Thursday against the Avalanche.

In 39 games this season, the Bruins’ top shutdown defender has two goals, eight assists, ten points, and a team-high +15 rating while averaging over 20 minutes per game. AHL call-up Parker Wotherspoon, who has two assists and a +2 rating in 13 NHL appearances this season, is projected to remain in a second-pairing role alongside Hampus Lindholm in Carlo’s absence.

Luckily for the Bruins, it doesn’t appear anyone else’s absence is extremely long-term, either. It’s a tough loss to go without Ullmark for a stretch, who’s again been one of the better goalies in the league with a .915 SV% and 8.1 goals saved above average in 20 starts (21 appearances), but Swayman has put up slightly better numbers this season in the same amount of action.

In his place for now will be the 25-year-old Bussi. Named to the AHL’s All-Rookie Team last season after he posted a .924 SV% in 32 appearances for Providence in his first season after completing his collegiate career at Western Michigan, he’s taken a significant step back this year with a .901 SV% and 10-6-3 record in 20 appearances. He’s been recalled on multiple occasions over the past two years due to short-term injuries to Swayman and Ullmark, and although he’s solidly third on Boston’s depth chart, he’s still yet to make his NHL debut.

Poitras, 19, was injured in his third game back after representing Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden. The 2022 second-round pick has five goals and 15 points while averaging 13:46 through his first 30 NHL contests.

Atlantic Notes: Quinn, Dahlin, Bussi

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Buffalo Hockey Beat’s Bill Hoppe reports that injured Sabres forward Jack Quinn was at Sabres practice today as a full participant, shedding his non-contact jersey for a full-contact one. This is extremely encouraging news for the Sabres, as Quinn has yet to play this season due to recovery from offseason surgery to repair a torn Achilles. Last month, Quinn returned to practice in full pads and now he’s back as a full participant, indicating that he’s on schedule (if not ahead of schedule) to return to the Sabres’ lineup sometime around January 1st.

The Sabres could surely use the services of Quinn, a 22-year-old 2020 top-ten draft pick. After a breakout season in his first year as a pro with the AHL’s Rochester Americans, Quinn had an impressive NHL rookie season in 2022-23. He scored 14 goals and 37 points in 75 games, a performance that earned him a spot on Team Canada at the 2023 IIHF Men’s World Championships. He scored seven points in 10 games at the tournament, including with two crucial goals in the quarterfinals and semifinals, to help Canada take home a gold medal. Now he appears to be nearing a return with his club team, potentially providing a spark to a Sabres squad that has disappointed so far this season.

Some other notes from the Atlantic Division:

  • Hoppe relays word from Sabres coach Don Granato who revealed that superstar defenseman Rasmus Dahlin could possibly play tomorrow when the Sabres host the Montreal Canadiens. Dahlin is currently day-to-day with an injury, and if he can return he’d instantly give the Sabres a massive boost. The 23-year-old 2018 first-overall pick has scored 21 points in 26 games this season and is widely considered to be one of the best defensemen in the NHL.
  • The Boston Bruins have reassigned netminder Brandon Bussi to their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins. Bussi, 25, is the Bruins’ AHL starter but had been recalled to the NHL to back up Linus Ullmark for yesterday’s game against the Sabres, as expected backup Jeremy Swayman was sick. With Swayman expected to be ready to return to the lineup for the Bruins’ next game, Bussi’s services are no longer needed at the NHL level. He’ll resume his role as the number-one guy in Providence, which is a role he’s thus far excelled in as he made the AHL All-Rookie team last season with a .924 save percentage.

Snapshots: Laine, Gudbranson, Bussi, Salt Lake City

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The Columbus Blue Jackets will be without both Patrik Laine and Erik Gudbranson, as neither player traveled with the team for their Thursday night matchup against the New York Islanders due to illness. This is the second consecutive game that the duo will miss, after being held out of the team’s Tuesday home game against the Los Angeles Kings.

With his absence on Thursday, Laine will have only played in 16 of the Blue Jackets’ first 28 games. He’s missed action for a variety of reasons, going on injured reserve with a tricep strain in mid-November and serving as a healthy scratch shortly upon his return. The 25-year-old winger has scored five goals and seven points in the games he has appeared in, also adding six penalty minutes and a -9. It’s a step down in production from Laine’s 2022-23 season, where he managed 22 goals and 52 points in 55 games.

And while Laine’s scoring pace has decreased, the 31-year-old Gudbranson has managed nine points in 26 games this season, already a higher point total than he’s managed in eight of his 13 NHL seasons. Gudbranson is in his second season with Columbus, signing a four-year, $16MM contract with the team in July of 2022.

Other notes from around the league:

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