As the summer began, it was widely thought that the Boston Bruins were going to lose some prospects in free agency if they didn't sign by mid-August. Back in June, Bruins general manager Don Sweeen y got ahead of losing one by trading the rights of Andre Gasseau to the San Jose Sharks for a pair of draft picks.
There were some other prospects that Boston was going to lose, and one they did lose was goalie Philip Svedbäck after his career at Providence College ended. His rights to the Black and Gold expired on Aug. 15 after he was drafted in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. He became a free agent, and on Monday, it was announced that he agreed to a deal to head to the ECHL.
Former Bruins goalie prospect Philip Svedbäck signs in the ECHL
Svedbäck signed with the Wheeling Nailers in the ECHL, the team announced on Monday. The 24-year-old from Sweden went 8-6-2 for the Friars last season with a 2.32 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage in 18 games. His best college season was in 2023-24, when he played in 35 games for Providence with a record of 18-13-4, a 2.32 GAA, and a .900 SV%. For his career, Svedbäck played in 145 games. He helped to guide the Friars to their second Hockey East Championship in school history and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
After being drafted, Svedbäck spent a season in the USHL with the Dubuque Fighting Saints before playing at Providence. He went 15-7-3 that season with a 2.95 GAA and a .910 SV% in 25 games.
This summer, there has been a lot of turnover with the Bruins' prospects. Gasseau was traded to the Sharks, and then Sweeney traded former first-round pick Fabian Lysell to the Colorado Avalanche for another prospect, Ivan Ivan. However, joining Svedbäck in leaving the organization were forward Oskar Jellvik, who signed overseas in Sweden after his career at Boston College ended, and defenseman Mason Langenbrunner, who retired after his college career at Harvard ended.
The writing was on the wall that this was happening with Svedbäck. Sweeney drafted two goalies in the June Entry Draft: Yuri Ivanov in the second round and Roberti Henriquez in the sixth round. The Black and Gold also overhauled their goaltending in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Providence Bruins by bringing back netminders Simon Zajicek and Luke Cavallin, while signing Jiri Patera. They previously signed former Merrimack goalie Max Lundgren for depth.
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