The Bruins have supplied RFA netminder Jeremy Swayman a contract totaling $64M in worth, workforce president Cam Neely instructed reporters Monday (through 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Ty Anderson). He didn’t verify the size of the settlement, nevertheless it’s honest to imagine he was referring to an eight-year cope with an $8M cap hit.
“I’d have 64 million the explanation why I’d be enjoying proper now,” Neely stated concerning Swayman’s continued absence. He added that Swayman had “flat out” instructed the membership he wished to stay in Boston, which aligns with a report from The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa earlier Monday.
For now, all indicators level to Swayman remaining unsigned when the Bruins flip of their opening-night roster subsequent week. Normal supervisor Don Sweeney stated it’s “unlikely” Swayman can be able to go for his or her regular-season opener, with head coach Jim Montgomery confirming that Joonas Korpisalo is slated to be their starter in opposition to the Panthers on Oct. 8 after a powerful camp displaying (per The Boston Globe’s Conor Ryan).
Swayman, 27, has been vocal this summer time about his need to set a bar for future goalie contracts after being handed a one-year, $3.475M contract in arbitration in the summertime of 2023. He’s had impeccable profession numbers — a .919 regular-season SV% and a .922 playoff SV% — however has by no means began greater than 45 video games in a season.
He and Linus Ullmark, who the Bruins traded to the Senators firstly of the summer time to provide Swayman the undisputed starter’s crease, have been the spine of Boston’s success over the previous couple of seasons. Their significance was particularly evident final 12 months, posting a mixed .915 SV% to maintain the Bruins afloat within the Atlantic Division regardless of proudly owning subpar 5-on-5 possession metrics throughout the board.
If he stays unsigned for a major chunk of the season, it places Boston in a difficult spot with Korpisalo. Whereas the workforce is projecting confidence after a powerful preseason displaying, the 30-year-old is coming off a disastrous 2023-24 marketing campaign with Ottawa that noticed him put up a .890 SV% and three.27 GAA in 50 appearances.
The distinction in play over the primary two months of the 12 months might be sufficient to price the Bruins a playoff spot in a aggressive Atlantic subject. Swayman has till Dec. 1 to signal a contract to be eligible to play this season.
