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Bruins President Takes Shot at Jeremy Swayman After Rejected Offer

The Boston Bruins' president fired a shot off at their restricted free agent goaltender as contract negotiations continue.

Jacob Punturi

May 4, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) makes a save during the second period in game seven of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Toronto Maple Leafs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
May 4, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) makes a save during the second period in game seven of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Toronto Maple Leafs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images / Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
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The Boston Bruins and goaltender Jeremy Swayman are in a contract stalemate. The negotiations have seemingly hit a brick wall as the preseason winds down and the regular season nears. The Bruins' management have shifted their talking points, going from a desire to get the deal done before the season begins, to hoping a contract is finalized before December 1st.

With the Bruins and Swayman not close on a deal, the team's general manager and president met with the media to give a status update. During the press conference, team president Cam Neely fired some shots at the un-signed goaltender. While all parties in Boston maintain that Swayman wants to stay with the Bruins and the Bruins want him around for a long time, the conversations seem anything but cordial at this stage.

During his comments, Neely described his surprise at a deal not being finalized yet. In discussing his surprise, Neely made it very clear that Swayman rejected an offer of $64 million dollars. NHL.com writer for the Bruins Joe Pohoryles reported the quote the team president gave in its entirety.

"I don't want to get into the weeds with what Swayman's ask is," Neely said. "But I know that I'd have 64 million reasons why I'd be playing right now."

The comment is one of the most revealing ones an NHL executive has made during a contract negotiation. Usually this process is kept incredibly under wraps, with the only numbers and details beforehand leaking out through league insiders. But in this instance, Neely freely gave up where the Bruins' latest offer was. Speculating on the dollar amount noted by Neely, it's likely the team is offering an eight-year deal that would pay him $64 million in total.

With the Bruins holding this session with the media, it's clear they feel a deal should have been done by now. Swayman, on the other hand, is holding firm due to unknown reasons. The result is a continued stalemate, one Cam Neely and the Bruins feel should be over and done with by now.

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Jacob Punturi
JACOB PUNTURI

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