The Boston Bruins and restricted free agent goaltender Jeremy Swayman are at a standstill in their ongoing contract negotiations.
The No. 1 goalie of the Bruins entering next season, assuming he re-signs with Boston, has not been able to get in touch with the franchise to discuss a deal, according to Ryan Whitney on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast.
According to Whitney, citing a source in the September 4 episode of his podcast, the Bruins "have not contacted or returned Swayman's calls" in three weeks as they remain far apart on key contract details.
There have been all sorts of reports touching on Swayman's asking price with the maximum figure reported quoted at over $10 million on annual average value.
Whitney suggested that Swayman's camp is pushing for a deal similar to Charlie McAvoy's eight-year, $9.5 million contract with the Bruins.
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) September 4, 2024
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said on September 4 that he's "not surprised" by the delayed agreement, adding that he "didn't hear" about Swayman asking for $10 million.
Daily Faceoff insider Frank Seravalli, appearing on SN960 The FAN's Big Show, believes Swayman asked for "somewhere in the mid-8s" million per year."
Seravalli also reported that Boston was "in the low 6s," adding, "I think that's a pretty sizeable gap that hasn't been bridged yet."
Swayman has made 125 starts in four NHL seasons, and is coming off a strong playoff run where he posted a .933 save percentage in 12 games. Over his career, the netminder has maintained a .919 save percentage and a 2.34 goals-against average.
The Bruins traded former 1B to Swayman's 1A, Linus Ullmark, to the Ottawa Senators earlier this offseason.
While Boston acquired goalie Joonas Korpisalo in return, he struggled last season with a .890 save percentage in 55 games for Ottawa, making it vital for the Bruins to reach an agreement with Swayman.
