Welcome to another edition of NHL Rumours! We are in the final days of August. Training camp and preseason games begin next month. We are so close to watching hockey once again! But first, we still have rumours to bring you. Our rumour today centres around the Jeremy Swayman contract situation with the Boston Bruins.
No Deal, But Optimism Remains
David Pagnotta of the “The Fourth Period” was on NHL Network on Tuesday where he spoke about the Swayman contract situation. Per Pagnotta, despite no deal, both Swayman and the Bruins are confident a deal will be reached soon. Pagnotta even went as far as to say that Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery expects to have Swayman in training camp from day one.
• Jeremy Swayman
• Moritz Seider
• Lucas Raymond
• Dawson Mercer
• Seth Jarvis
• Thomas HarleyThere's still some notable RFAs without contracts, and @TheFourthPeriod has the latest. @JamieHersch | #NHLTonight pic.twitter.com/qTuRkUVnMi
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 27, 2024
June Trade + No Deal = Nervous Bruins Fans
Typically, a restricted free agent not yet having a new deal with training camp on the horizon is not a big deal. However, the story is a little different this time. Last season, it took an arbitration hearing for Swayman and the Bruins to agree on a one-year contract. Unlike last year, however, Swayman holds the winning hand.
Swayman has been one of the best goaltenders the past couple of years, recording a .916 SV% and 2.41 GAA during his three full seasons as a Bruin. However, he had been splitting time with Linus Ullmark. As a result, Swayman was limited to fewer than 45 starts each season. While they split time, Swayman did get some playoff starts over Ullmark. This includes getting the nod in Game 7 of the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs first-round matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Furthermore, Ullmark only appeared in two playoff games this past season, both Bruin losses to boot. But now that Ullmark is gone, Swayman is the clear number one in Beantown, and he will want to be paid as such.
Simply put, there is no plan B for the Bruins in goal. There is no Ullmark to turn to. If the Bruins were to somehow lose Swayman, and the recent offer sheet news from the St. Louis Blues probably does not settle the fears of Bruin fans, the team would be in a bad situation.
Swayman Will Remain in Beantown
It is not a matter of “if” but “when” Swayman and the Bruins agree to a contract. If there was any doubt, the Bruins would not have traded Ullmark. The Bruins had to choose between the two and they chose Swayman. Furthermore, the Bruins have the cap space to make the deal happen. The team has just over $8.6 million in available cap space. Even if the Bruins had to move a piece to clear up a little more cap, they would only need an additional $2 million. That is based on the circulating rumour of him looking for upward of $10 million AAV. Trading forward Trent Frederic would accomplish that while also likely giving the Bruins some nice draft capital in return. The path the Bruins take to re-signing Swayman is unclear. However, it will happen. Swayman has expressed a desire to remain in Boston.
Rest easy, Bruins fans. If you want to worry, worry about what will happen if the Bruins face the Florida Panthers again in the playoffs.
Main Photo Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY
