The Boston Bruins may not be a one-goaltender show in 2026-27, thanks to Michael DiPietro’s emergence through his first five starts.
Heading into the season, the Bruins slotted DiPietro in as their backup goaltender to Jeremy Swayman. Swayman looked like he would ultimately start in 60-plus games, given DiPietro’s lack of experience and success in the NHL.
Before emerging in Boston, DiPietro logged three NHL appearances with the Vancouver Canucks, where he went 0-2-0, with a 5.25 GAA, a .771 save percentage, and zero quality starts.
He saw time in the ECHL with the Maine Mariners in 2022-23, appearing in one game for the AHL’s Providence Bruins that season. He then spent 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 with the Providence Bruins, logging 115 games. His GAA never dropped beyond 2.51, and he posted a .918 save percentage or better in those three seasons.
DiPietro looked like he would be a late-blooming NHL backup, but few saw how well he would perform when slated to start. It is still early, so anything is up in the air. But through five games, DiPietro is 4-1-0 with a .924 save percentage, a 2.20 GAA, a shutout, and a 1.000 quality starts percentage.
He has allowed 11 goals so far and eight at even strength, which, per Hockey-Reference, is 3.7 above expected. Those are stellar numbers, and he has become one-half of an outstanding tandem alongside Swayman.
DiPietro Has Quietly Given The Bruins A Dominant Goaltending Duo
Jeremy Swayman is the big winner here. Swayman has 12 starts in Boston’s first 17 games, with a .913 save percentage, a 2.31 GAA, a shutout, and a .667 quality starts percentage.
With 58 and 55 starts in each of his last two seasons, Swayman has shown he can handle the bulk of the workload. However, with DiPietro emerging, the Bruins may not need to lean on him so often.
That would give Swayman fresher legs when he is called on, knowing DiPietro can pitch in more than 20-25 games per season. As it stands, Swayman is on pace to start in 59 of Boston’s games, leaving the remaining 25 for DiPietro. But if DiPietro continues to play well in the net, snagging closer to 30 starts wouldn’t be out of the question.
While Boston has been a good defensive team, Swayman, like DiPietro, is saving well above xGA at even strength. His xGA currently stands at 23.1, but he has allowed 16 goals at even strength. Therefore, he is 7.1 above expected.
Swayman-DiPietro Duo Make Boston Deeper And More Dangerous
DiPietro’s emergence also works wonders for the Bruins offensively. Boston has already proven to boast a deep group of scorers, but given this team’s style, Swayman and DiPietro let them show off their scoring prowess even more.
Boston has allowed more scoring and high-danger chances than they have created, so Swayman’s and DiPietro’s consistent play and denial of opponents’ easy goals have let the Bruins play some of their best hockey this season. Their performance plays into the Bruins’ fifth-place ranking in goal scoring.
DiPietro was the big question mark coming in, and now he is showing that he, too, is an answer. If he keeps playing lights out, Swayman won’t need to almost single-handedly man the net. That means he can spend a few more games on the bench, and DiPietro can take care of opposing scorers. It is a winning formula that will benefit the entire team.
Bruins’ Michael DiPietro Makes Turnaround After Years of Waiting