Report: Bruins Real Offer to Jeremy Swayman Revealed
While the Boston Bruins and Jeremy Swayman attempt to finalize a new contract, the drama is only growing. The Bruins' executives held a press conference that only worsened the situation, casting further doubt on when the deal will come to fruition.
One of the sticking points of the negotiations and the reason for Swayman's agent to issue a response to the Bruins' press conference was the disagreement about money and salary. Team president Cam Neely insinuated that the team offered a contract worth $64 million. But according to Swayman's agent, that number is not quite accurate.
NHL and Daily Faceoff insider Frank Seravalli recently joined Morning Cuppa Hockey to discuss the fiasco between the Bruins and Swayman. When discussing the state of their contract negotiations, Seravalli seemed to have the same understanding of the situation that Swayman's agent does. Speaking to hosts Jonny Lazarus and Colby Cohen, the latest details he heard were that the team offered a deal below the $64 million mark Neely suggested.
"My understanding is that the Bruins have offered eight years x $7.8 million," Seravalli said. "Which is $62.4 [million]. So, maybe Cam Neely had a bit of fun with numbers…$1.6 million is where they were off."
Neely's bit of fun with numbers is costing the Bruins in their negotiations. The team has roughly $8.5 million in available salary cap space, according to PuckPedia, and Swayman seems intent on acquiring as much of that space as possible with his new deal. The negotiations are currently at a standstill, but there is still a belief around the league that the Bruins will sign Swayman to a long-term deal.
The other possibility is that this could continue to drag out. The Bruins and Swayman have until December 1st to come to an agreement. If they don't, Swayman will be ineligible to play for the remainder of the season. If the two sides aren't able to hammer out a contract over the coming weeks, the speculation regarding that deadline and potential trades will only rise.