Bruins Goaltender Addresses Contract Negotiations

The Boston Bruins' goaltender recently spoke about the status of his contract negotiations.

May 14, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) defends his net against the Florida Panthers during the second period in game five of the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Bruins made a difficult choice when they elected to keep Jeremy Swayman as the franchise goaltender this summer. In the process, they traded away his running mate and friend Linus Ullmark to pave the way for Swayman to be the uncontested number one netminder. But as training camp nears, the Bruins are in danger of opening their preseason without either of the all-star tandem that occupied their net the last few seasons.

Entering just his fourth full season with the Bruins, Swayman is already one of the league's best goaltenders. He's big and rangy, but athletic and nimble at the same time. At just 25 years old, he's in line for a huge contract extension. He and the Bruins reportedly remain far off in contract talks, and the possibility grows that Swayman holds out of training camp if a new deal isn't reached.

Swayman also has a different, expanded viewpoint after going through a grueling negotiation process before. He recently joined the Shut Up Marc Podcast to discuss his career so far and where his contract talks stand.

"I've educated myself. I understand the business side of it all," he said. "It’s given me a complete new mindset of understanding the business and how to react to it. I understand the cap is going up and where it will be in years. I understand my comparables and how I can’t ruin the goalie market for guys that are gonna be in my shoes down the line."

As the Bruins and Swayman continue their negotiations, the rest of the hockey world wonders which side will concede first. For Swayman, this is the second year in a row he's seeking a long-term extension. Last year, the two sides went to arbitration and resulted in him earning $3.475 million. After three straight seasons of 33 or more starts and 25 wins, he's seeking a deal with an average salary more than double the one he made in 2023.

Compared to the season prior, Swayman sounds much more calculated about this negotiation. He stated in the interview that there was "resentment" over the process last year, but this year he's being more removed from the personal emotions and focusing on the goal: signing a long-term deal that not only sets himself up for years to come, but also meets or exceeds the market rate for a goaltender as talented and productive as he is.

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