The contract standoff between Jeremy Swayman and the Boston Bruins has intensified recently, especially after Bruins president Cam Neely publicly disclosed details about the negotiations. Neely mentioned that Swayman turned down a significant offer worth $64 million, a move that raised eyebrows and led to speculation about the future of the star goaltender with the team.
Swayman himself has expressed his desire to remain with the Bruins, emphasizing his gratitude for the opportunity to play in Boston and reflecting on his dream of being part of the organization. He stated, “I know everything else will take care of itself,” indicating his focus on performance rather than the contract issues at hand. The situation is urgent, as Swayman must sign a deal by December 1 to be eligible to play in the 2024-25 season.
As of now, there’s no resolution in sight, but teammates, including captain Brad Marchand, have voiced confidence that Swayman will eventually rejoin the team. The Bruins will need to navigate these negotiations carefully as they prepare for the upcoming season.
Cam Neely with a shot at Swayman “64 Million reasons I’d be playing right now”
Wow. If I’m Swayman I don’t give in at all now. Buckle up
— Drew Livingstone (@ProducerDrew_) September 30, 2024
Swayman’s team reacted aggressively, claiming that this was absolutely incorrect and dishonest, and that they would have to reassess their future.
No formal trade request has been made since then, but it’s evident that Swayman is eager for a new beginning, and his relationship with the Bruins appears to have soured.
2- As a result of this awful affair, we now know (at the very least) that Jeremy Swayman will take a contract for $8.5 to $8.9 million per year for the next eight years.
3- Remember that earlier this summer, the St. Louis Blues submitted two offer sheets to two Edmonton Oilers players, Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway, and many experts believed that this constituted a watershed moment in NHL history, as making an offer sheet was previously frowned upon. (It is now considered ‘fair game’ to make such promises.)
4- According to the highly regarded Pierre LeBrun, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton were major contenders to acquire Yaroslav Askarov from the Nashville Predators.
The Montreal Canadiens are thus looking to sign a young goalkeeper with exceptional potential.
An offer sheet for Jeremy Swayman and a perfect replacement for Carey Price?
When we combine all of these factors and consider that 1) things are going very poorly between Swayman and the Bruins, 2) Swayman would accept a contract of less than $9 million per year, 3) offer sheets now appear to be acceptable in the NHL, and 4) the Montreal Canadiens want to add a young, dominant goaltender, we arrive at the following question:
Should Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton make a bid to acquire Jeremy Swayman?
At $8.9 million year, the salary would be:
– A first-round choice.
– A second-round choice.
– A third-round pick.
In my opinion, it would be completely worthwhile for Jeremy Swayman! The possibility to acquire such a goaltender does not arise very often.
Additionally, with Swayman in goal, the Montreal Canadiens’ 2025 first-round pick is unlikely to be in the top ten.
Do you like the idea?
Furthermore, it would be extremely detrimental to the Boston Bruins, as we are dealing with one of the top five goaltenders in the world, if not THE best goalkeeper in the world right now.
One thing is certain: they’re running out of time!
Huuuge weekend for #NHLBruins and Jeremy Swayman, because the pain begins for both sides on Monday at 5:01pm.
A refresher and handy calculator @DailyFaceoff illustrating the importance of each day for in-season RFA signings:https://t.co/6pakgoigGp
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) October 5, 2024
