Bruins Sign Merrimack College Goaltender to Entry Level Contract

Following the conclusion of Merrimack College's season ahead of the approaching Frozen Four, the Boston Bruins have signed another prospect to a one-year entry-level contract.

Jan 20, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of the Boston Bruins logo on the jersey of Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) during the game at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Boston Bruins have signed goaltender Max Lundgren to a one-year entry-level contract for the 2026-27 season with an NHL cap hit of $952,500.

The Merrimack College junior netminder concluded his collegiate career after Merrimack fell to No. 2 seed North Dakota in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship. Lundgren set the single-season program record for saves in a season (1,134 in the regular season) as well as the record for minutes played in a season (2,332-plus). In addition, he was unanimously selected as the Hockey East Tournament MVP following a 49-save performance against UConn in the Hockey East Championship at TD Garden. The goalie also logged a 21-16-2 record with a 2.55 goals‑against average and a .920 save percentage for the 2025-26 season.

Lundgren said he is ready to advance his career in the net to the professional level.

"Obviously, very excited," Lundgren said Sunday in front of teammates and media members per a release from Merrimack College. "This is a dream since I was a little kid, to sign an NHL contract. So just really excited, ready to go."

Max Lundgren Inks Entry Level Contract

The 6'5", 230‑pound goaltender also led Merrimack to its first Hockey East title in program history. Over two NCAA seasons (2024-26), the 23-year-old compiled an overall record of 29‑29‑2 with a 2.67 goals‑against average and a .916 save percentage.

The #NHLBruins have signed goaltender Max Lundgren to a one-year, entry-level contract for the 2026-27 season with an NHL cap hit of $952,500.

📰: https://t.co/6QzgrhsFXQ pic.twitter.com/Ruz0q6ZYhP

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 29, 2026

Lundgren previously said in December he was invited to Bruins Development Camp, which will take place during the summer. He will now report to the Providence Bruins, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of Boston, within the next few weeks.

Lundren will join Boston College alum James Hagens as the developing talent for the Bruins' franchise — Hagens saw his AHL debut with the Providence Bruins on March 25.

Merrimack College is now out of the running for the Frozen Four, which is set to take place in Las Vegas on April 9 and 11. University of Michigan holds the top seed. The 2026 NHL Entry Draft is slated to take place this June, with the lottery rumored to be on May 5.

Lundgren's signing comes after he stopped 130 of the 136 shots he faced in the Hockey East Championship, with the semifinals and finals at the home of the Bruins — TD Garden — which had Bruins general manager Don Sweeney in attendance. His 24-save shutout against UMass marked the first semifinal shutout in 12 years before a career-best 49 saves in the championship round.

"It's tremendous," Merrimack head coach Scott Borek said of Lundgren's signing. "It's pretty special to see that come to reality. And to have it happen right in our own backyard, I think it's really special for our whole group."

$975,000 is the max for an entry-level deal; Lundgren previously went undrafted following his lone season in the USHL as a member of the Des Moines Buccaneers, where he posted a .913 SV% and 2.65 GAA across 41 outings.

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