The Boston Bruins are working to sign Jeremy Swayman this summer. Swayman revealed his “educated” approach to contract talks on a podcast recently. And recent reports have indicated the Bruins goalie may be looking for $10 million on his next deal. However, that may not actually be the case.
Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli appeared on a Sportsnet radio show recently. While there, the topic of Swayman’s next contract came up. Seravalli mentioned that the two sides remain rather far apart in negotiations. He also threw cold water on the idea that the Anchorage, Alaska native is seeking $10 million in talks with Boston.
“I think he was somewhere in the mid-8s earlier this summer and I think the Bruins were in the low 6s,” Seravalli said, via Sportsnet. “I think that’s a pretty sizeable gap that hasn’t been bridged yet and with the trade of Linus Ullmark, it’s obvious that Swayman is such a big part of what the Bruins’ future looks like and the stability of their core because the goaltending has been the backbone of that team.”
“But if you have a philosophical difference on what you think your goaltender should make, and if you thought that with the numbers he’s posted that he was going to be in that range, I can understand why there’s been a disconnect there.”
Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman is an elite goalie
Jeremy Swayman has emerged as one of the better goaltenders in the NHL over the last few years. He debuted during the 2020-21 campaign, playing 10 games. He won seven of those contests while playing to a sparkling .945 save percentage.
A save percentage that high is hard to maintain over a full season. In any event, Swayman has still turned in impressive performances in the three years following. In fact, he has yet to record a save percentage lower than .914 in his career. This past season saw him win 25 games while recording three shutouts and a .916 save percentage.
Swayman truly showed his talent in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Boston failed to win the Stanley Cup. They went out in six games to the Florida Panthers in the second round. However, Swayman was lights out, playing to a .933 save percentage in the 12 games he played.
As mentioned, the Bruins traded Linus Ullmark this summer. Boston sent him to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a first-round pick, Joonas Korpisalo, and Mark Kastelic. Moving Ullmark freed up more space for a Swayman contract extension, though nothing has come to pass quite yet.
The Bruins are hoping to get Swayman signed sooner rather than later. And with training camp approaching, time is no longer on the side of either party. Boston drops the puck on their 2024-25 campaign on October 8 when they travel to face the Florida Panthers.
