Bruins “comfortable” taking a leap of faith on two goalie prospects in 2026 NHL Draft

Bruins take – With goalie Jeremy Swayman expected to anchor Boston’s net for years, the Bruins used two of their seven picks in the 2026 NHL Draft on future goaltenders—selecting Yuri Ivanov in the second round (No. 56 overall) and Roberto Henriquez in the sixth round (No.

On Saturday, the Boston Bruins didn’t go looking for another stout, right-shot defenseman they could slot in right away. They went the other direction—spending two of their seven picks in the 2026 NHL Draft on goaltending.

Boston opened that run by selecting goalie Yuri Ivanov in the second round with the 56th overall pick. Later, the Bruins added Roberto Henriquez in the sixth round with pick No. 170.

The decision drew eyebrows partly because Boston still has a “barren pipeline” of stout. right-shot defensemen in its system. and the Bruins were already staring at the question of whether those draft slots could have been used elsewhere. But Bruins director of amateur scouting Ryan Nadeau framed it as an investment in a position where Boston’s staff already knows how to build.

“We felt we needed to get back out in front of having depth in that position,” Bruins development chief Don Sweeney said of Ivanov’s timeline. He acknowledged directly that Ivanov will likely remain in Russia for at least two years before even considering another jump to North America.

Nadeau explained why the team didn’t gamble by waiting for Ivanov to fall. “One of those picks where you could look at public lists and say. ‘Okay. is it worth waiting on him and taking a chance that he’s there later on?’” Nadeau said. “But for us, if you want the player, we didn’t want to risk waiting.”.

NHL Central Scouting had the 17-year-old Ivanov ranked as the 10th-best goaltender in the 2026 draft class. Even with that standing, Boston made him the second of 32 total goaltenders selected in the draft.

The Bruins are banking on what Ivanov can become—built on athleticism and “high ceiling. ” even if it takes time for that ceiling to translate in the pro ranks. This past year in Russia’s top junior hockey league with MHK Spartak Moskva. Ivanov posted a 13-3-1 record and a .924 save percentage. He helped Spartak reach the Kharlamov Cup Final and delivered a .928 save percentage across 16 playoff appearances.

During Boston’s development camp, Ivanov has already shown the kind of movement and reaction that can make scouts look past the calendar. He’s impressed with post-to-post stops.

Sweeney, who spoke on Saturday, said the timeline is part of the plan. “It’s a long timeline,” he said. “We felt we needed to get back out in front of having depth in that position. So we attacked it [Saturday]. [It] presented. and our guys did a lot of work to be able to feel like they were good in that spot.”.

Henriquez, by contrast, won’t require the same overseas wait. He’s expected to join Boston College in the fall.

Nadeau praised Henriquez’s “competitiveness” during their scouting process. The 19-year-old goalie will likely be given a clear reception inside the organization after a November incident in which Henriquez dropped the gloves with another goalie.

Henriquez’s path to Boston’s camp is also different from Ivanov’s. Born and raised in Bratislava, he moved to the United States in 2024. He spent a season with the Anchorage Wolverines in the NAHL, then burst with the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL in 2025-26—posting a .921 save percentage.

Inside camp, Boston’s staff says both prospects have already found a footing. Parker MacKay, Boston’s player development coordinator and college scout, believes they’ve made an early adjustment.

“They’re both excellent kids,” MacKay said Tuesday. “They’ve been nothing but — for the first two days — very attentive. Speaking with Mike Dunham — I can speak for him — he’s enjoyed what he’s seen so far.”

That matters because the Bruins’ goalie development doesn’t run on luck. Under goalie coach Bob Essensa and goalie development coach Mike Dunham. Boston has seen a steady flow of netminders reach new levels. The pipeline includes fourth-round pick Jeremy Swayman. college free agent Brandon Bussi. beleaguered ex-Sabres starter Linus Ullmark. and former ECHL regular Michael DiPietro.

Swayman, in particular, is expected to be Boston’s top option in net for the foreseeable future.

Still, the Bruins insist their goal wasn’t to replace Swayman. It was to keep depth moving forward. Nadeau said the organization feels “comfortable” about how this draft class fits together.

“I can share that, really, our goalie guys were really excited to take a swing here,” Nadeau said. “We liked where this kid [Ivanov] was going. I got to see him last weekend and meet with him. We just felt really comfortable with this pick right here.”

Both Ivanov and Henriquez will get another chance to show their work during Thursday’s development camp scrimmage, which usually includes an extended stretch of shootout bids—moments where the smallest details can stand out.

The Bruins may be inviting questions about how they allocated coveted picks toward a position they’ve already proven they can extract value from. But for now. they’re also betting that the comfort they feel in their development system is stronger than the impatience of trying to fix everything in one draft.

Boston Bruins 2026 NHL Draft goalie prospects Yuri Ivanov Roberto Henriquez Jeremy Swayman Bob Essensa Mike Dunham Ryan Nadeau Don Sweeney Boston College MHK Spartak Moskva Kharlamov Cup Final