Brandon Bussi just signed a new deal, and it’s the kind of former Boston Bruins goalie story that makes Don Sweeney look like he let one slip.

Carolina locked Bussi up on a three-year, $5.7 million contract, a $1.9 million cap hit starting next season.

That’s a real payday for a 27-year-old who couldn’t even get a Boston NHL appearance.

Bussi is undrafted, and Boston originally brought him in as a college free agent before he spent four years in Providence.

In the AHL with Providence, he posted a 63-31-12 record with a .915 save percentage and a 2.62 goals-against average.

Last summer, Boston didn’t keep the path open, and Bussi signed a one-year, two-way deal with Florida.

Then the Panthers put him on waivers, and Carolina grabbed him before the 2025-26 season even started. That one waiver claim now looks like a franchise steal.

Bussi’s breakout is loud, he has a 23-3-1 record with a .908 save percentage and a 2.12 goals-against average in 27 appearances.

Those are “give him term” numbers, especially in a year where goalie stability is priceless. The Bruins can argue they’re set with Jeremy Swayman, and that’s fair.

But the mistake is letting a cheap, homegrown option walk before you truly knew what he could be.

Brandon Bussi makes Don Sweeney regret his decision

The Bruins had him right in front of them, and he would have been a better backup option than Joonas Korpisalo. Instead, Don Sweeney let him walk for free, and this could be his worst move as a general manager.

Even worse, the cap hit is totally workable for a strong NHL tandem.

Boston is constantly chasing margins, and a reliable in-house goalie is the cleanest margin there is. Carolina didn’t overthink it, they watched the wins stack and paid the player.

Now Sweeney has to wear the optics, because Bussi is thriving somewhere else while Boston keeps living in high-pressure goalie drama.

The contract doesn’t guarantee Bussi becomes a long-term star, but it confirms something important.

He’s not just a prospect anymore, he’s an NHL goalie with leverage, and the Bruins are the team that didn’t hold onto him.