Bruins reportedly discussing contract extension with Jeremy Swayman

A long-term deal for Swayman could jeopardize Linus Ullmark’s future with Boston.
By Conor Ryan.

Don Sweeney and the other 31 NHL general managers will be busy this week seeking to acquire or subtract players from their teams before the March 8 trade deadline.

But, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Sweeney is already working to close the gap on one of Boston’s most pressing offseason jobs.

According to Friedman, the Bruins have “begun discussing an extension” with goalie Jeremy Swayman, who is currently on a one-year contract. The 25-year-old goalkeeper is slated to enter restricted free agency in July.

A long-term contract for Swayman would be a much-needed relief for all parties after the Bruins and their goalie faced a bitter arbitration battle last offseason.
Last summer, Swayman and Boston had very different salaries. According to various reports, the Bruins came in at $2 million for their estimated salary, while Swayman and his team countered with $4.8 million.

The arbitrator ultimately met both sides in the middle with the $3.475 million salary, which represents a big increase over Swayman’s previous AAV of $1.05 million. However, Swayman has been open about the arbitration procedure and his desire to avoid another contentious contract issue in the future.

“Yeah, after dealing with what I did this summer with arbitration, hearing things that a player should never hear, it feels pretty special to be in this situation,” Swayman said in January, following his first All-Star selection.

Signing Swayman to a long-term contract is a sensible step forward for the Bruins.

Not only does it complete Boston’s most critical offseason assignment (and provides more clarity on how much salary space Sweeney can operate with this summer), but the poised goaltender has all the makings of an established No. 1 netminder in the NHL.

So far this season, Swayman is 19-6-8 with a .919 save percentage, a 2.53 goals-against average, and three shutouts. Among NHL goalies with at least 1,000 minutes of ice time this season, Swayman ranks fourth overall in goals saved above average (16.03).
Swayman’s continued growth and his partnership alongside fellow goalie Linus Ullmark have served as the bedrock of Boston’s success over the last few seasons.

But a long-term deal for Swayman — and most importantly, a sizable pay bump — could significantly augment Boston’s roster moving forward.

While both Swayman and Ullmark currently account for a combined cap hit of $8.475 million, the Bruins may not want to keep both goalies in place moving forward if that combined cap hit balloons to, say, $11-12 million next season if Swayman inks a new deal.

As a result, the Bruins could decide to trade Ullmark (who is under contract until 2025) in order to free up cap space, obtain assets, and pave the way for Swayman to establish himself as Boston’s uncontested No. 1 goalie for the next five years.

Friedman recognized that a Swayman extension may lead to a larger Ullmark move, whether before the deadline or during the offseason.

“If someone craves a netminder now, Boston’s in a position to deliver,” Friedman said in a statement. “There are two faults with this, however. First, the Swayman/Ullmark tandem gives the Bruins the best opportunity to win right now, and second, Ullmark has some say in this.

“If he can refuse a team, he has earned the right to block. … It’s difficult to tell where this will lead, but it might be a larger hockey deal or something as simple as increased depth for the postseason.”