Jeremy Swayman Contract Remains Bruins’ Best Option amid Standoff, NHL Trade Rumors

The Boston Bruins are set to kick off their regular season against the Florida Panthers next Tuesday, and restricted free-agent goalie Jeremy Swayman remains unsigned. That feels unlikely to change in the immediate future.

If anything, the disconnect between Swayman and Boston may be growing. President of hockey operations Cam Neely made a blunt statement about the netminder’s holdout on Monday, which likely didn’t sit well with the 25-year-old.

Swayman’s agent, Lewis Gross, was quick to respond publicly, denying that a $64 million offer was ever formally made.

“At today’s press conference, $64 million was referenced.,” he posted on social media. “This was the first time that number was discussed in our negotiations. Prior to the press conference, no offer was made reaching that level.”

According to Daily Faceoff insider Frank Seravalli, the $64 million figure is believed to indeed be inaccurate.

“My understanding is that the Bruins have offered eight years times $7.8 million, which is $62.4 [million],” Seravalli told Morning Cuppa Hockey. “…I think the Swayman camp has been asking for something in the neighborhood of eight times $8.5 million,”

If Seravalli is correct, the gap between Boston’s offer and Swayman’s ask isn’t massive. However, it does exist, and the goalie’s camp may be unwilling to compromise after Neely’s decision to make numbers public. A trade request could also ensue, though Gross didn’t go that far in his statement:

“We will take a few days to discuss where we go from here.”

The Bruins should also take some time to reassess the situation. Neely’s comments make it feel as if $8 million annually is as high as Boston is willing to go. The team must reconsider that stance because the alternatives are letting Swayman’s holdout continue and offering him on the trade market—though it’s something the team reportedly does not want to do.

“Two weeks ago, I started to hear rumours of a possible trade,” Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman wrote on September 30. “The Bruins wouldn’t comment, but it was clear they told teams they weren’t considering it and wanted to keep him.”

The Bruins certainly don’t want a strained relationship with their long-term No. 1 goaltender, and if things are heading in that direction, they could become more open to dealing him.

However, trading Swayman would be far from the best option. For starters, it would leave Joonas Korpisalo, who was acquired in the Linus Ullmark trade, and the unproven Brandon Bussi as Boston’s top options.

Secondly, the Bruins would have a difficult time getting appropriate value in a trade. Boston got a first-round pick, Korpisalo and Mark Kastelic for Ullmark, who is a little more than five years older than Swayman. The restricted free agent is worth a bigger package, but teams aren’t going to offer one with his contract situation still unsettled.

According to Friedman, Swayman has wanted to stay in Boston. Therefore, the goalie may view his demand of $8.5 million annually as a hometown discount. Friedman reported in early September that Swayman was eyeing the $9.5 million annually being earned by defenseman Charlie McAvoy.

“I’ve also heard the McAvoy contract was the ask,” Friedman said on his 32 Thoughts podcast (h/t Colin McCarthy of Boston.com).