Bruins
There is just over a month left until the whole Bruins squad returns to the Warrior Ice Arena for training camp.
But even with a brand new season just across the corner, Jeremy Swayman doesn't appear to be nervous concerning the status of his contract negotiations with the Bruins.
Swayman – a restricted free agent – has not yet signed a probable long-term contract extension with Boston.
With Over $9 million in remaining salary cap space (in line with @BruinsCapSpace) Boston still has enough financial wiggle room to sign Swayman to a multi-year take care of a hefty raise.
So far, all parties involved haven’t closed the gap on the ultimate annual payout, but Swayman isn’t sounding the alarm at this point in the summertime.
“There is a lot of trust,” Swayman said Wednesday during an appearance on the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon“And I say that because I've treated it like normal this year. I've been at Warrior, I've been working out with our guys, our staff, our players. And I know there's something special developing in this locker room this year, and I couldn't be more excited about it.
“I do know that with time it’s going to handle itself. The only thing I can control is how I change into a greater goalie for the Boston Bruins this yr. That's what I'm focused on. And I do know it’s going to occur again. I couldn't be happier to be a Bruin.”
Although Swayman has not yet completed a full season as the No. 1 regular, the 25-year-old goaltender is on the verge of taking on such a role for Boston in the 2024-25 season – especially since Linus Ullmark was traded to Ottawa in June.
Swayman’s stock price is also expected to soar thanks to his outstanding finish to the 2023-24 season, as Swayman posted a .933 save percentage in 12 games for the Bruins during the postseason. 13.3 goals saved more than expected, the best goalkeeper of all time in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs (according to MoneyPuck), although he only appeared in two rounds in total.
While the Bruins and Swayman's camp are still mulling over what his final payout might be in the future, former Bruins goaltender Andrew Raycroft stressed last week that fans should not panic because a deal has not been finalized at this point in the summer.
“Nothing to fret about. No news, I haven't heard anything,” Raycroft said on WEEI's “The Skate Pod” earlier this month, adding, “Everyone's gone. The hockey world – everyone's gone. Since July 7, when development camp closed the last one within the league, everyone's gone.”
“There's really no reason for fans to fret a few contract until September,” Raycoft said. “September 1st is when you’ll be able to possibly start interested by it and even talking about it, and even then they’ve two weeks to [until training camp begins].”
image credit : www.boston.com