Player Discussion Jeremy Swayman: VII- Swayman's agent basically calls Cam a liar

[smithformeragent]

@Gee Wally

We have numerous deletions and more in here. We know tension and emotions are high.
But you folks must simply stop taking personal shots at each. Stay to topic.

If not we will be left with no choice other than adding thread bans.

BOSTON — Boston Bruins president Cam Neely suggested Monday that the team has made an eight-year offer to unsigned restricted free agent goaltender Jeremy Swayman at $8 million annually.

“I don’t want to get into the weeds with what his ask is,” Neely said at a news conference at TD Garden. “But I know that I have 64 million reasons why I’d be playing right now.”

Neely did not disclose what Swayman’s ask has been but said he was surprised by it.

So far, Swayman is holding firm to his demand. It aligns with his personality of not backing down, especially following his uncomfortable 2023 arbitration hearing. According to Neely, Swayman wants to set a new market for goalies, specifically ones under team control.

“What his ask is and what we believe his comp group is,” Neely said, “are two different things.”

General manager Don Sweeney said he remains in contact with Lewis Gross, Swayman’s agent. The Bruins are not interested in trading Swayman.

“Ultimately, we’re a better team, as I’ve said all along, if Jeremy is part of our hockey club,” Sweeney said. “That’s my intention. That’s my wish. I’ll continue to work to do that. I think Jeremy and the team are both hurt in this regard. That’s what I’ll do. I’ll continue to work hard to find a settling point.”

With only three preseason games left, it is likely Swayman will miss regular-season time, even if an agreement is pending. Coach Jim Montgomery designated Joonas Korpisalo as his goalie for the regular-season opener against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 8, regardless of Swayman’s situation. The Bruins have two full practices remaining in camp.

“Where we are in camp right now, with how well camp has gone and how well Korpisalo has done,” Montgomery said, “right now, he’s going to be our Game 1 starter.”

How good is the offer?​

Swayman would become the fifth-highest-paid goalie in the NHL under the Bruins’ offer, behind Sergei Bobrovsky, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Connor Hellebuyck and Ilya Sorokin. Only Vasilevskiy ($9.5 million average annual value) signed his contract as a pending restricted free agent. The others were due to become unrestricted.

It is a significant payday for Swayman, considering he has never been a regular-season No. 1 goalie.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5806291/2024/09/30/bruins-cam-neely-jeremy-swayman/

Click to read more...

 

[Beyonder]

You think he's all cool and ambivalent??? Dream on. He's got a huge pile of chips on the table and is nervously watching the roulette wheel spin alternating between "I'm gonna be rich" and "I shoulda quit while ahead before letting it all ride".

You're talking about a person whose job is probably the most stressful in the sport and who is counted on to win games in high pressure situations. He knows he's going to get paid eventually, sooner or later, in Boston or otherwise, at the amount he wants or less but either way a lot. He's already rich ($5.5M career earnings) and is going to get richer. I'm gonna say, he's just fine right now.

 

[Gee Wally]

I'd legit offer this guy a 1 year 6.5 million dollar contract, bonus driven, to get him up to 8-8.5 if he really delivers. If he delivers, he gets 8.5 million, he gets to negotiate one more time before UFA and likely gets his 8.5-10.5 million per year he is looking for. If he shits the bed with the increased workload, maybe we move him or sign him for a shorter term at less money.

Why would he do that? He hasn't done enough to prove he's a 8.5-10.5 million dollar goalie signed long term in the NHL. That is the knock on him right now, he was a tandem guy since he's entered the league and hasn't proven he can handle the #1 goalie workload to date. If he truly believes in himself and thinks he's a top 5 goalie, then bet on yourself. Don't think the Bruins are going to shoulder all the risk on you being this stud goalie when you haven't been "the guy".

If he's nervous about injuries or sucking, then shut your mouth, take the 8x8 and focus on stopping pucks.

He’s not eligible for bonuses. Only signing bonus which counts against aav
Performance bonuses only for 35 and over.

 

[Walkenthewalk]

As much as Gross seems to live up to his name, I seem to remember Cam playing a little fast and loose with the truth during the whole Mitchell Miller saga

First I'm hearing of this.

 

[shelbysdad]

no

Guys WHO is gonna give Sway 10M? Really?

Such a pass from us.

Sign Linus in July.

Funny how many bring Linus back people.....I wonder how that compares to the he can't win in the playoffs people....

 

[JOKER 192]

Whether the offer was on the table before yesterday is irrelevant to me. It's there now, it's a more than fair offer. Take it or leave it.

 

[Number8]

FWIW, Frank Seravalli is reporting that the Bruins' most recent offer is 8-years, $62.5 million.

Swayman is at 8-years, $68 million.

This means that Frank Seravalli is saying all this acrimony and drama is over $680K per annum ($500K per annum if you use the now public $64Million)?

I find that hard to believe. Really hard to believe.

 

[LSCII]

Whether the offer was on the table before yesterday is irrelevant to me. It's there now, it's a more than fair offer. Take it or leave it.

It’s not a real offer unless it’s in writing.

 

[UncleRico]

Who provided these numbers to Seravalli and Friedman all of a sudden after the $64M offer came out? Why didn't we hear these numbers before yesterday?

Smells like Gross is trying to save his own ass. It sounds like Neely will be on 98.5 later this afternoon so hopefully we will get some clarification.

idk maybe Neely said $64m and they contacted Gross and asked what offer they had if $64m wasn’t true.

This is the first time either side has publicly said a number so it probably didn’t come out yet because they weren’t telling people until Neely said $64m

 

[DavidK]

On August 1, 2023, the Bruins and Swayman agreed to a one-year, $3.475 million contract in arbitration. After the hearing, Swayman expressed his discontent with the process, saying it was something he "never wants to do again".

Swayman clearly holds a grudge about the team deliberately underrating and lowballing him during last year's proceedings. Now he's determined to get every last penny. Good for him. The Bruins' front office needs to be better.

 

[HuskyBruinPride]

The amount of people who think Gross would risk his Agents license and therefore his entire career by intentionally not disclosing a contract to swayman is insane.

Fandom is a hell of a drug.

Yeah, because a sports agent has never been accused of withholding offers from a client before. Unheard of. I mean Nylander situation...never happened, right?

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

I was thinking about doing a poll.

Who is single handedly doing more to alienate Bruins fans over the Swayman situation?

1) Gross
2) Swayman
3) Neely/Sweeney
4) @SwayHeyKid

I decided it wasn't even close.

You've gone from being a solid, rational supporter of a key player to some drama hound on a shitty reality tv show contest.

Come back to earth. Please.

I love your commentary Number8 but SwayHeyKid can say whatever he wants . Ignore him if it bothers you.

 

[UncleRico]

Yeah, because a sports agent has never been accused of withholding offers from a client before. Unheard of. I mean Nylander situation...never happened, right?

Please show me a source that says Gross intentionally withheld an offer from Nylander

 

[JOKER 192]

Who provided these numbers to Seravalli and Friedman all of a sudden after the $64M offer came out? Why didn't we hear these numbers before yesterday?

Smells like Gross is trying to save his own ass. It sounds like Neely will be on 98.5 later this afternoon so hopefully we will get some clarification.

That's a good question isn't it?

He likes to play the butt hurt card as he did again yesterday. Claiming he doesn't negotiate through the media. Where indeed did these numbers suddenly come from ?

 

[BlackFrancis]

On August 1, 2023, the Bruins and Swayman agreed to a one-year, $3.475 million contract in arbitration. After the hearing, Swayman expressed his discontent with the process, saying it was something he "never wants to do again".

Swayman clearly holds a grudge about the team deliberately underrating and lowballing him during last year's proceedings. Now he's determined to get every last penny. Good for him. The Bruins' front office needs to be better.

They should send a dog in a track suit instead of front office personnel next time a player brings them to arbitration.

 

[smithformeragent]

I work in middle school, and this feels like middle school behavior.

Get a deal done, or don't.

I don't care at this point.

 

[JOKER 192]

It’s not a real offer unless it’s in writing.

Oh , come on.

 

[Pia8988]

If Cam can't handle this negotiation, I'd love to see him have to deal with a diva WR drama.

 

[LSCII]

Oh , come on.

What? Like seriously? You can’t sign a claim made in a press conference. There are terms, ffs

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

They should send a dog in a track suit instead of front office personnel next time a player brings them to arbitration.

 

[Mr Cartmenez]

Why wouldn't both sides just agree on 8/64? Sounds like the most logical numbers all along and - if the reports are true - would actually even be the middle ground between what the Bruins are offering and what Swayman is demanding. Seems like this whole case escalated for no reason. None of the two sides are looking good in this.

And why in gods name did Sweeney trade Ullmark without having an extension with Swayman in place?

The relationship can be mended, but maybe we are at a point in which neither side wants to give in to the other.

 

[Number8]

The only person saying they did is Neely. Sweeney has not confirmed it at all. The agent said no. Now there are at least 4 reports saying it was $62-62.5 offered, which isn’t 64.

Time will tell who was full of shit, but at the moment, it sure looks like it’s Cam.

I think the answer is Neely said one thing. Gross said one thing. Then Gross has tried to multiple the impact of his one thing by telling 4 other people they could echo it.

There is no way in hell those "4 reports" didn't originate from Gross.

Neely vs. Gross. Regardless of how many times some "insider" says I heard x offered y.

Frank Servali ain't sitting at the negotiation table. Nor Dreger, Nor Biz.

I don't know for sure who is full of shit, but IMO hearing these outside sources saying what they heard doesn't add any clarity or legitimacy at all at this point.

 

[smithformeragent]

I listened to NHL Network radio on the drive in, and one interesting thing that struck me is the leaguewide perception that, up until this point, Sweeney's job has been easy. Guys have made negotiations easy and taken a little less to stay due to the culture that Chara, Bergeron, and the core built. But the perception was that those days are now over and Swayman is just the first of several who will now take the Bruins to the mat and seek every dollar.

Sounds a lot like the "Patriot way", no?

 

[HuskyBruinPride]

Please show me a source that says Gross intentionally withheld an offer from Nylander

Not sure if an offer was explicitly withheld, but if you followed the situation at all it was clear after Nylander wasn't happy with Gross and wished he spoke directly to Dubas earlier. Seems likely something similar may be going on here, where Gross isn't being totally forthcoming with Swayman. It's either that or Swayman and him are both full of shit, because I don't buy for a second the alternative (that Neely is blowing smoke).

 

[JOKER 192]

What? Like seriously? You can’t sign a claim made in a press conference. There are terms, ffs

1st off, do you know that it hasn't been put to paper for a fact?

Then , if it hasn't, do you really think it won't be in short order?

It's been stated in a press conference, no turning back at this point.

 

[smithformeragent]

Lock Sweeney, Cam, Gross, and Swayman in a room.

No cell phones. No podcasts. No social media.

Take the day. Provide lunch & dinner.

Come out with a signed contract, or agree to seek a trade partner.