With training camp less than a month away, the Bruins still have yet to sign Jeremy Swayman. The goalie, as well as Boston’s brass have all expressed optimism that a long-term deal will get done.
It’s unclear what exactly the hold up is, but Swayman provided insight during an appearance on the “Shut Up Marc” podcast.
“If you were to ask me that same question a year ago, I would answer truthfully. And I would say, ‘It’s scary. It’s a lot of resentment toward people that want you to succeed,’” Swayman told host Marc Lewis. “And when you’re not being compensated for your endless efforts and doing what you do best, it’s a nerve-wracking feeling because it’s your family that you’re fighting for.”
Swayman has been vocal about how difficult the arbitration process was last year. The 25-year-old was awarded $3.475 after he reportedly requested $4.8 million. And while he said there was no ill-will toward anyone about the process, Swayman admitted it was something he hoped to never go through again.
Now a year removed from arbitration, Swayman better educated himself on the negotiation process.
“For the answer that I’m going to give you this year is that I’ve educated myself and that I understand the business side of it all. And it’s given me a complete new mindset of understanding the business and how to react to it,” Swayman told Lewis. “I understand the cap is going up and where it will be in years. I understand my comparables and how I can’t ruin the goalie market for other guys that are going to be in my shoes down the line.”
According to Bruins Cap Space on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Bruins have $9.35 million left over after making a slew of moves during free agency — including signing Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov. Signing Swayman — who’s after his first long-term contract — is essentially the last order of business Don Sweeney and company have left.
Swayman emerged as Boston’s No. 1 goalie throughout the regular season, and particularly in the playoffs. He played all but one game for the Bruins during their run before they ultimately were eliminated in the second round by the Florida Panthers. He finished the regular season with a 25-10-8 record with a 2.53 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage.
It’s likely Swayman’s workload will grow in 2024-25 with the departure of Linus Ullmark after the Bruins traded the goalie to the Ottawa Senators this offseason. Swayman’s only played 44 games in a season, and will likely play upward of 50 this coming year, as indicated by Sweeney at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas.
Because Swayman is a restricted free agent, other teams can sign the goalie to an offer sheet. However, if any goalie-needy team were to go that route, they’d likely need to offer at least $9 million and several draft picks
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