The Bruins have signed a goaltender Jiří Patera claimed off waivers by the Canucks, PuckPedia reports.

Patera is the only player out of 28 players who was released yesterday and is eligible for play. The 25-year-old achieved Group VI UFA status this summer after making just eight career NHL appearances with the Golden Knights.

Patera signed a two-year contract in Vancouver to initially act as number 3 behind Thatcher Demko And Arthur Silovsbut he had slipped to fourth on the depth chart after the signing Kevin Lankinen late in summer. He was still expected to start the season as a third-stringer, with Demko expected to start the year with a lingering knee injury, but with the veteran Lankinen on the roster he became more upgradeable.

It’s still a blow to Vancouver’s waning goaltending and a boon for the Bruins, who add some coverage between the posts with RFA Jeremy Swayman When the season opener begins next week, he will likely still be out of contract. It’s now a two-man competition between Patera and the 26-year-old Brandon Kisseswhich also requires waivers to start the year as Joonas Korpisalo‘s backup. They will now decide which name they want to reveal before the premiere.

Given their similar ages, Bussi is likely the higher ceiling option for the B’s. He has posted a strong .918 SV% in 78 AHL games with Providence over the last three years, although he has yet to make his NHL debut. Patera has worse but still solid career AHL numbers with a .907 SV% in 85 appearances, and his brief NHL action with Vegas was fine – a .902 mark with a 3.57 GAA in seven starts and one substitute appearance in the last two years.

Suppose Boston keeps Bussi as a backup to open the season and places Patera on waivers again to try to trade him to Providence. In that case, the Canucks can reclaim him and send him directly to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford if they are the only team to make a claim.

If the Bruins are able to keep Patera, it will be a good move to acquire an experienced goalie not only for this season but also for next season. Vancouver probably hoped that the second year of the two-way pact would deter teams from staking a claim, but that didn’t work out.