As NHL training camps kick off on Wednesday, several prominent restricted free agents remain unsigned, with Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman being the most notable. His name frequently surfaces in rumors surrounding the timing of his signing and the value of his upcoming contract extension with the Bruins.
Jeremy Swayman and Bruins Still Working on A New Extension
Jeremy Swayman wanted to avoid a repeat of last offseason. Last year, he went through arbitration, which gave him insight into the team’s perspective before agreeing to a one-year, $3.475 million contract. This time, Swayman made it clear to the Bruins that he wouldn’t go through arbitration again, and both sides opted not to file, despite having the option.
Now, as training camp approaches, the clock is ticking. Swayman, the Bruins’ top goaltender, earned that role with his strong performance last season, posting a 25-10-8 record, a 2.53 goals-against average, and a .916 save percentage. The previous season, he had an equally impressive record of 24-6-4, with a 2.27 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage, sharing the net with Linus Ullmark.
However, Ullmark is no longer in Boston, having been traded to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Joonas Korpisalo. As a result, the net is now fully Swayman’s. Despite this, no contract extension has been finalized, though that could change with just one phone call as camp nears.
Progress for Jeremy Swayman on a New Deal
The situation surrounding Jeremy Swayman’s contract has been relatively quiet recently, though there was growing optimism between him and the Bruins. As training camp approaches, discussions have picked up. On Monday’s episode of *NHL Tonight*, Dave Pagnotta of *The Fourth Period* spoke with Jamison Coyle of the NHL Network about the current status of Swayman’s contract negotiations with Boston.
Pagnotta explained, “They’re still in regular talks, and while there was initially a significant gap in terms of money, they’ve made some progress in understanding the framework of a potential deal. However, the term remains a key issue. The longer the contract, the higher the average annual value (AAV) will be. The Bruins traded Linus Ullmark to Ottawa in June to create space and ensure they could lock in Swayman.”
Swayman is aiming for a competitive salary, with reports suggesting the Bruins have offered him $6.2 million AAV, while Swayman’s camp is looking for closer to $9 million. Top-tier goaltenders like Sergei Bobrovsky, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Connor Hellebuyck, and Ilya Sorokin earn between $8 and $10 million AAV, which is the range Swayman is targeting.
Pagnotta added, “The sides are still trying to bridge that gap, but it’s encouraging that communication remains open as camps begin this week.”
Deadlines Make Deals Happen
As deadlines approach, negotiations tend to gain momentum. We’ve seen it recently with Lucas Raymond in Detroit, while Moritz Seider is still in talks. The same holds for Cole Perfetti and the Winnipeg Jets, as well as Dawson Mercer and the New Jersey Devils.
For the Boston Bruins and Jeremy Swayman, avoiding any distractions is key. With Wednesday just around the corner, both sides are likely to work tirelessly to finalize a deal, ensuring that Swayman’s contract isn’t the main topic of conversation and that he’s present at training camp.
