Goalies Kyle Chauvette, Max Lundgren carry Brandon Bussi’s Stanley Cup inspiration into Bruins development camp
The sight of Brandon Bussi hoisting the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes after winning the last three games of the Final against the Golden Knights last month has served as a lesson in perseverance, one that resonated in particular for two attendees at this week’s Bruins development camp.
Like Bussi, who signed with the Bruins in 2022 after three seasons at Western Michigan, both Kyle Chauvette and Max Lundgren are undrafted goalies trying to stick as pros after their collegiate careers ended in March.
Both wasted little time moving on. The day after his New Hampshire squad saw its season come to an end with a 7-3 loss to Northeastern in the Hockey East playoffs, Chauvette signed an amateur tryout agreement with the Sharks, who were in town to play the Bruins. He served as the backup to Alex Nedeljkovic after Yaroslav Askarov tweaked a lower-body injury before morning skate.
Chauvette was back on the Durham campus attending classes and preparing for exams when he got the call. The Goffstown, N.H. native hopped in his car and made his way to Boston. Fortunately, traffic wasn’t too bad.
“It just happened like in a span of 15 minutes, and then I was on the road,” said Chauvette, who posted career bests in save percentage (.902) and goals-against average (2.63) in his one season with the Wildcats after transferring from Union. “I didn’t really expect to get that call, but it was pretty special to put on a Sharks jersey, and go out for warm-ups. It was a really cool opportunity.”
Chauvette will be with the Bruins for the 2026-27 season, serving as the full-time traveling goaltender. It’s a new position for the NHL this season created as part of the collective bargaining agreement ratified in 2025. It replaces the practice of emergency backup goalies, in which amateurs would be called upon in an emergency role.
Lundgren led Merrimack to its first Hockey East tournament championship in March, garnering tournament MVP honors after stopping 49 shots in the title game. He signed with the Bruins as a free agent after the Warriors lost to North Dakota in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. It was a quick process, with Lundgren fielding offers from several organizations on the plane ride home from the regional in Sioux Falls, S.D. He chose the Bruins shortly after the flight landed and he was back on the North Andover campus.
After a few days bidding farewell to teammates and the school, it was off to AHL Providence.
“That was a great experience, learning a little bit about [the professional] life,” said Lundgren. “I’d been practicing a little bit with pro teams back in Sweden, but I mean it’s obviously different over here. It was a great experience just to get to know others and getting to know how it works over here, and the responsibilities that comes with it.”
The 6-foot-5-inch native of Angelholm, Sweden led all NCAA goaltenders in saves with 1,134 in his final season at Merrimack.
“He’s got a lot of tools, he’s big,” said Bruins player development coordinator and college scout Parker McKay. “He’s a bit more of a blocker in my opinion, and I think he’s shown up and he’s put the work in so far.”
Both Chauvette and Lundgren watched the Stanley Cup Final, locked in on the story of Bussi, who never saw action in the NHL with the Bruins and departed the organization via free agency in July 2025 after three seasons in Providence. He initially signed with the Panthers, before making his way to Carolina in October after Florida placed him on waivers. He saw his first NHL action, appearing in 39 games in the regular season, but was relegated to spectator in the postseason until coming on in relief of veteran Frederik Andersen in Game 3 of the Cup Final. Bussi seized the moment, starting, and winning, the next three games to deliver the trophy to Carolina.
“It’s a really cool story,” said Chauvette, who was tied for the most shutouts in Hockey East with five as a senior. “I think it shows if you just keep working and take it one day at a time, anything can happen.”
Both goalies are 24, and have a little more seasoning than their young netminding counterparts at camp this week, 2026 draft picks Yuri Ivanov and Roberto Henriquez, although perhaps not as high of a ceiling. Lundgren is expected to compete for a spot in Providence.
“I’m trying to recreate [Bussi’s] path, I guess,” said Lundgren. “But I want to play in TD Garden, and win the Stanley Cup here.”
It was pointed out that he had already played at TD Garden, when he and his Merrimack teammates lifted the Lamoriello Trophy in March.
“Hopefully I can do it again,” Lundgren added with a smile, “but with a bigger trophy.”
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