Elliotte Friedman shares update on Bruins-Jeremy Swayman contract talks
The Boston Bruins remain locked in contract negotiations with star goaltender Jeremy Swayman as the regular season creeps closer.
At this point in the summer, some fans may start to get concerned. Training camps
Training camps are coming up in about a month and a deal still seems far away. However, they may find some solace in the fact that Swayman himself is not too concerned about what is going on behind the scenes, according to a recent interview.
There’s a lot of confidence (a deal will be reached). And I say that because I’ve treated it like business as usual this year. I’ve been at Warrior, I’ve been working out with our guys, our staff, our players and I know that there’s something special building in this locker room this year. And I can’t be more excited about that.
That being said, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman shared what could be cause for concern for Bruins fans on the latest episode of the 32 thoughts podcast. He admitted that he has not been following the situation as closely as he normally would, but said that as far as he can tell, the Bruins and Swayman remain locked in heated negotiations, that may still linger on for awhile longer. He simply noted that the two sides ‘were not close’ that last time he heard about the situation.
Some Bruins fans may be asking themselves why these negotiations are taking so long. After all, Swayman will be their starting netminder next season, with Jonas Korpisalo serving as the backup. Both sides clearly want the player to stay in Boston.
However, things are not that simple. At the end of the day, the NHL is a business, and Swayman wants to get paid. The Bruins currently have 8.6 million dollars in cap room, which would be enough for most goalies, but Swayman has established himself as one of the very best in the league, and is understandably demanding a lot.
One fan even joked that Swayman may very well set a record next season as the highest paid goaltender in Boston Bruins history.
Swayman has appeared in 132 career NHL games, all with the Boston Bruins. 125 of those have been starts, with the remainder coming in relief appearances. He has a record of 79-33-15, with 12 career shutouts. His 2.34 career GAA and .919 save percentage both rank among the best goalies in the league. Now it is time for him to get paid like it.