Goaltender Bruno Bruveris commits to RPI
Bruveris comes in with the inside path to starting in net for the Engineers
The Engineers have finally struck in their pursuit for 2025-26’s starting goaltender, as Miami transfer Bruno Bruveris committed to the program recently. With the graduations of last year’s tandem Noah Giesbrecht and Jack Watson, the goalie room was left nearly empty with playing time to go around. We still expect Nate Krawchuk to come down from the OHL and join the program in the fall, which left a need for a veteran presence and presumable opening night starter to commit. Bruveris will be the 3rd Latvian to join next year’s roster, as Karlis Zirnis keeps the Riga to Troy pipeline going another year. Let’s break down Bruveris’ game and how he factors into the mix next year.
Game Breakdown
Bruveris posted identical numbers in his Freshman and Sophomore years at Miami-Ohio on two historically bad teams. Miami won just 3 games this year and gave up 4.16 goals per game, good for 2nd worst in the country. Bruveris got the largest chunk of time in net, but freshman Ethan Dahlmeir who transferred to Minnesota-Duluth and old friend Brett Miller also saw some action. Obviously, the numbers the past two seasons are concerning, but it is really tough to judge with how putrid Miami’s defense was. None of the three goalies had success, and the team was dominated in possession stats. Bruveris posted solid numbers during his time in the USHL as well as in World Juniors for Latvia. RPI hasn’t brought in many goaltenders with a wealth of USHL experience in quite a while, so I think it is definitely a good sign that Bruveris had this kind of pedigree coming into college. It is fair to assume his confidence is a bit shaken after those two years, but I expect the staff sees a vision with him and wants to unlock the potential he had in junior hockey.
Attached here is a highlight tape from his junior days in Latvia, presumably posted by a family member. Bruno has a relatively small frame at 6’0 and 170lbs, but he plays an athletic style and utilizes the butterfly to cover ground in net. After scouting him, it’s clear to me his strengths are his lateral quickness, athleticism, and vision around the net in close proximity rebound control. He slides across the crease well and is generally composed with a calm, patient style. As a smaller goaltender, he relies on movement and an ability to scramble for difficult saves because of his agility. His puck tracking and rebound control seem to be weaknesses, as he had more success scrambling than he does challenging skaters looking to shoot. RPI’s last great small goaltender Owen Savory also was highly athletic, but he understood angles so well and took away shooting lanes despite his size. I’d like to see Bruveris add this to his arsenal to take his game to the next level.
Fit at RPI
It is tough to break down what Bruveris has to offer because Miami’s team was so terrible last year. We have seen the model for talented junior players who struggled against higher competition to have success in the ECAC at RPI. TJ Walsh and Chase Zieky are two who come to mind, but admittedly we haven’t seen any goalies do it so far. The three of us think very highly of Nathan Krawchuk and view him as a potential all-conference goaltender down the road, and we are still under the assumption he will be coming to RPI after the coaching change. I would not be shocked to see him push hard for the net immediately, but I think the addition of Bruveris will set up a healthy competition for the two goaltenders. Both of them have experience in high level junior hockey leagues, and Bruveris spent time in one of the hardest conferences in the country. I believe with improved defense, RPI can help him rebuild his confidence and unlock his full potential. RPI’s goaltending coach Mathias Lange was a small, athletic goaltender himself, who should help Bruveris hit his ceiling. I would expect a healthy competition between these two early on in the season, with Bruveris likely getting the first nod throughout the fall. With improved defense and a change of scenery, I would expect a big-time bounce back for Bruveris the next two years. Congrats and welcome Bruno!
I always enjoy your updates. Is there any update on Houston Field House?
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