Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney announced today, March 29, that the team has signed goaltender Max Lundgren to a one-year entry-level contract for the 2026-27 season with an NHL cap hit of $952,500.
Because Lundgren turns 24 by September 15, his April 3 birthday places him in the age bracket where an Entry‑Level Contract is limited to one year. He was on my shortlist of NCAA free agents the Bruins should target, and Boston clearly saw the same opportunity.
The Bruins now have Jeremy Swayman, Joonas Korpisalo, Michael DiPietro, and newly signed Lundgren all under NHL contracts. Simon Zajicek and Luke Cavallin remain restricted free agents, while Philip Svedeback is looking to turn pro following the completion of his NCAA career. With that depth in place, Boston no longer needs to spend draft capital on a goaltender and can shift its focus to other areas of need.
In some ways, it creates a bit of a logjam in the crease — especially if the Bruins opt to bring Zajicek back next season. Nothing in his play should remove him from the conversation; the only real setback was the injury that prevented a full‑season evaluation, even in a backup role.
Swayman remains the unquestioned starter. If Korpisalo and DiPietro end up competing for the backup job, Zajicek and Lundgren could be the ones battling for the No. 1 role in Providence. Boston could also opt to sign Svedeback to an AHL deal and start him in Maine of the ECHL.
Whatever their decision, it opens up the option to trade a goaltender.
Lundgren has emerged as one of the more intriguing late‑blooming goaltenders to come out of the NCAA in recent years, showcasing a blend of size, poise, and technical refinement that translates well to the pro game. Standing at 6‑foot‑5, he presents a naturally imposing frame in the crease, but what separates him from many goaltenders of similar stature is how efficiently he uses that size.
Lundgren leans on technically sound positioning and controlled movement, and there’s every reason to believe he’ll only sharpen those details under the guidance of Mike Dunham. He stays big through traffic and maintains clear sight lines, allowing him to handle screens and point shots with confidence. At Merrimack, he consistently showed an ability to manage the chaos around his crease — absorbing pucks, limiting second‑chance looks, and delivering the kind of rebound control that stabilizes a defensive zone.
From a competitive standpoint, Lundgren plays with a calm intensity. He fights through traffic, tracks pucks cleanly in heavy screens, and shows real bounce‑back after goals against. His demeanor is unshakable — he never looks rattled, regardless of the moment.
