By the time you read this, goaltender Jeremy Swayman might have a new contract with the Boston Bruins, or he and GM Don Sweeney could be in the middle of a prolonged standoff. On Wednesday, Sweeney informed reporters that the 25-year-old restricted free agent would not attend training camp until a new contract was in place. Though disappointed by the delay, Sweeney remains hopeful they’ll reach an agreement before the December 1 deadline at 5 p.m. ET.
If Swayman isn’t signed by that deadline, he’ll be ineligible for the rest of the season, a scenario neither side wants. As Sweeney noted, the longer Swayman remains unsigned, the worse it is for both parties. Swayman would miss a season’s worth of playing time and salary, while the Bruins could face challenges without their starting goalie. Swayman completed a one-year, $3.75 million contract last summer, awarded through arbitration. His current negotiations took a troubling turn in late August when reports surfaced that he was seeking an average annual salary of $10 million.
Sweeney also dismissed rumors from Paul Bissonnette, who suggested the GM hadn’t returned Swayman’s calls for weeks. “I think it’s nonsense to say I haven’t returned a call for three weeks,” Sweeney said, insisting the Bruins have been in regular contact with Swayman’s representatives.
Amid the contract dispute, fan-driven trade speculation has already emerged. The latest rumor involves the Bruins sending Swayman to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for goalie Alexandar Georgiev and defenseman Samuel Girard, despite the latter’s no-trade clause and the Avalanche’s salary cap issues. However, Sweeney remains focused on signing Swayman and has not considered trading him. Still, as the standoff continues, Swayman’s name may continue to appear in trade rumors, especially if no deal is reached by the start of the season.
