Bruins add veteran goalie as Jeremy Swayman contract talks persist

The Boston Bruins have signed goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo to a professional try-out agreement. The move adds another goaltender to Boston’s training camp as the team continues negotiating a new contract with presumed starter and restricted free agent Jeremy Swayman.

Kaskisuo has become a journeyman around hockey, though his career formally began as a collegiate free agent in 2016. He signed a minor-league deal with the Toronto Marlies that year and played his way into a routine role as one of Toronto’s many platooned goalies. He’d serve in that role for five seasons, split by a brief stint with the Chicago Wolves. Kaskisuo never broke out as a star goaltender, but he was proudly consistent, posting a .905 save percentage in 129 games through his first six years as a pro.

However, with no clear opportunities for the NHL, Kaskisuo decided to take his talents overseas in 2021, signing with the SHL’s Leksands IF. He served as the team’s starter in 2021-22, recording an impressive .910 save percentage across 40 games, but struggled through just 14 appearances in 2022-23. Kaskisuo followed the down year with a return to North America, joining the Laval Rocket for last season and playing 13 games behind Jakub Dobes and Strauss Mann. Kaskisuo posted the highest save percentage (.909) of the bunch.

Kaskisuo will now look to continue his North American career by joining one of the most uncertain goalie rooms in the league. The Bruins have yet to sign star starter Swayman to a deal for the 2024-25 season, leaving Joonas Korpisalo and Brandon Bussi as the team’s top two options. Boston quickly runs out of depth behind that tandem, with just Michael Dipietro and Ryan Bischel signed behind their assumed starting pair. That could pave the way for Kaskisuo to earn routine ice time, though it may once again be part of a confused goalie tandem.