With training camp less than a month away, the Boston Bruins still have yet to sign Jeremy Swayman. The goalie, as well as Boston’s brass, have all expressed optimism that a long-term deal will get done. It’s unclear what exactly the hold up is, but Swayman provided insight during a recent podcast appearance.
“If you were to ask me that same question a year ago, I would answer truthfully. And I would say, ‘It’s scary. It’s a lot of resentment toward people that want you to succeed,’” Swayman told host Marc Lewis on the “Shut Up Marc” podcast. “And when you’re not being compensated for your endless efforts and doing what you do best, it’s a nerve-wracking feeling because it’s your family that you’re fighting for.”
Swayman has been vocal about how difficult the arbitration process was last year. The 25-year-old was awarded $3.475 after he reportedly requested $4.8 million. And while he said there was no ill-will toward anyone about the process, Swayman admitted it was something he hoped to never go through again.
Now a year removed from arbitration, Swayman better educated himself on the negotiation process.
“For the answer that I’m going to give you this year is that I’ve educated myself and that I understand the business side of it all. And it’s given me a complete new mindset of understanding the business and how to react to it,” Swayman said. “I understand the cap is going up and where it will be in years. I understand my comparables and how I can’t ruin the goalie market for other guys that are going to be in my shoes down the line.”
According to Bruins Cap Space on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Bruins have $9.35 million left over after making a slew of moves during free agency, including signing Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov. Signing Swayman – who’s after his first long-term contract – is essentially the last order of business GM Don Sweeney and company have left.
Swayman emerged as Boston’s No. 1 goalie throughout the regular season, and particularly in the playoffs. He played all but one game for the Bruins during their playoff run before they ultimately were eliminated in the second round by the Florida Panthers.
He finished the regular season with a 25-10-8 record, a 2.53 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage.
It’s likely Swayman’s workload will grow in 2024-25 with the departure of Linus Ullmark after the Bruins traded the goalie to the Ottawa Senators this offseason. Swayman has never played more than 44 games in a season but will likely play upward of 50 this coming season, as indicated by Sweeney at the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas.
Because Swayman is a restricted free agent, other teams can sign the goalie to an offer sheet. However, if any goalie-needy team were to go that route, they’d likely need to offer at least $9 million, and Boston would have the right to match.
The Bruins begin training camp on Sept. 18.
DAVID PASTRNAK isn’t known to fight, but he didn’t hesitate to drop the gloves with Matthew Tkachuk during the Bruins’ second-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers in May. The bout didn’t last long – Pastrnak was quickly brought down to the ice before they were separated – but it was still a memorable part of the series.
Tkachuk has fought throughout his career, while Pastrnak had one fight in his career before going at it with the Panthers star.
During a podcast recent appearance, Tkachuk talked about how the fight came to be, revealing he told Pastrnak to “tell your guys to stop being idiots. Otherwise, I’m coming after you.”
“We just start talk and talk and talk. Then I’m like, ‘Well, let’s just fight next shift. He didn’t say no. He wasn’t like backing down or scared,” Tkachuk said on “The Cam & Stick Podcast.” “A lot of respect for him. I’m not, like, the toughest guy in the world. But I mean, I don’t expect a guy like him to fight in general.
“So, I just leaned over and I asked him to fight. I’m like, ‘We’re doing this right now. I’m not waiting until next game.’ He literally looked to (Jim Montgomery) and asked him. Monty’s like, ‘You want to?’ I’m hearing this whole thing. Pastrnak’s like, ‘Yeah.’ He’s (Montgomery) like, ‘All right, go ahead,’” he continued.
Pastrnak and Montgomery were seen on the bench before the two stars tussled. The coach said Pastrnak didn’t ask permission to go out and fight, but that he was still “proud” of his player.
“There’s so many guys out there pushing after the whistle and the linesmen are there,” Montgomery said after the eventual Game 2 loss. “Pasta and Tkachuk – they just went out there and fought. That’s what you like. You like your hockey players to be competitors.”
Montgomery said Pastrnak fighting was “inspiring” to the Bruins, despite being down five goals at the time of the bout.
The Panthers went on to eliminate Boston before ultimately winning the Stanley Cup.
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