The Bruins have quietly built themselves into a bit of a goaltending factory.

There’s honestly not a goaltender who hasn’t received a boost with a move to the B’s organization, be it in Boston with goaltending coach Bob Essensa or Providence (and below) with goalie development coach Mike Dunham.

And the organization has found their next goalie to boost, this time with the signing of Ryan Bischel to a minor-league contract.

• Bischel’s move to the pro games comes after five years at Notre Dame, where he posted a 47-44-7 record and .924 save percentage for the Fighting Irish. Bischel was also considered by many to be the top NCAA free-agent goaltender available in this year’s market.

  As a fifth-year talent for the Irish in 2023-24, the 24-year-old Bischel posted a 15-19-2 record with a .924 save percentage. Bischel’s .924 save percentage was tied for the fifth-best mark among all NCAA goaltenders, while 1,112 saves were the most in college hockey, and with a 58-save lead over the second-place goaltender.

• 

  Notre Dame goaltender Ryan Bischel (30) during the Michigan State-Notre Dame NCAA hockey game on Friday, February 02, 2024, at Compton Family Ice Arena in South Bend, Indiana. (USA TODAY SPORTS)

  A Minnesota native, Bischel was at his best for the Irish in 2022-23, with 16 wins and a .931 save percentage while appearing in all 37 games for Notre Dame.

  The campaign was enough for Bischel to earn the nod as the 2023 Big 10 Goaltender of the Year, as well as honors on the 2023 All-Big 10 First Team. Bischel was also a semifinalist for the 2023 Mike Richter Award, and a nominee for the 2023 Hobey Baker Memorial Award.

• NCAA Ice Hockey on Twitter: "Looking forward to seeing more of Ryan Bischel in the net this season 👀☘️#NCAAHockey x 🎥 @B1GHockey / @NDHockey pic.twitter.com/GAxH504iEt / Twitter"

  Looking forward to seeing more of Ryan Bischel in the net this season 👀☘️#NCAAHockey x 🎥 @B1GHockey / @NDHockey pic.twitter.com/GAxH504iEt

  Bischel is the second Notre Dame player to join the Bruins organization since their season came to an end, with defenseman Drew Bavaro signing a deal with the club earlier this month.

  What’s notable when it comes to Bischel’s contract against Bavaro’s contract, however, is that Bischel’s deal is a minor-league contract, meaning that it does not count against Boston’s 50-contract limit. (It also means that Bischel is unavailable for an NHL recall, but that’s to be expected given his age and inexperience, as well as Boston’s own goaltending pipeline, which is loaded with or without an offseason trade involving a netminder.)

• 

  Notre Dame goaltender Ryan Bischel (30) makes the save during the Michigan State-Notre Dame NCAA hockey game on Friday, February 02, 2024, at Compton Family Ice Arena in South Bend, Indiana. (USA TODAY Sports)

  With Bischel in the mix (again, on a minors-only contract), the expectation is that Bischel will compete for the backup job in Providence in 2024-25 with either Brandon Bussi or the freshly re-signed Michael DiPietro. If not the backup job, Bischel will, in theory, move to ECHL Maine so that the Black and Gold can load him up on minutes and experience.

  Bischel joins a goaltending pipeline that includes Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark at the NHL level, Bussi, DiPietro, and Kyle Keyser in the minor-league ranks, and Reid Dyck and Phillip Svedeback in the prospect pool.

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