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...

 

[PB37]

Wild stuff from this kid.

If it's true, the Bruins have been more than fair. It's time for Swayman to either sit and learn a hard lesson in business, sign the fair offer or be sent packing.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

At this point it cannot only be blamed on Agent, Swayman is being obtuse. That is not his value.

So what's his max value according to you. 7.75-8? If its 8, then you're saying he overvalues himself 10%. So you're up in arms at 10% overpay?

 

[NDiesel]

Legit the worst option. Tank his trade value, and ruin your season

Yeah no kidding, would rather just give into is demands and trade him when he inevitably has a good season than let him sit out

 

[Greek_physique]

 

[SonnyBoy]

At the end of the day, Swayman is a top 5 goalie who projects to improve further. The top 5 centers in the game all make over 8 million; why shouldn't Swayman? Is Swayman's position less important? Jeremy is right to want to reset the goalie market.

Centers are paid more and top 5 centers have played more great season's than Swayman.

I am glad that Swayman has the self-respect to demand a salary that reflects his value, especially after management mistreated him during arbitration.

Memo to Bruins management: it is unacceptable to lie during negotiations. That goes for both last year and this year.

What next? Trent 7 million, Lohrei 6 million and Beecher 5 million. What if they too are butthurt and overvaluing they contract?

 

[Bodit9]

I am glad that Swayman has the self-respect to demand a salary that reflects his value, especially after management mistreated him during arbitration.

Memo to Bruins management: it is unacceptable to lie during negotiations. That goes for both last year and this year.

Swayman needs to grow up and stop acting like a whiny baby.

 

[Fingertools]

Top 10? Yes. Top 5? Debatable. And yes, his position is less important. Goalies have much more volatile performance than position players and elite goaltending is not necessary for team success. This has been pointed out many times which is why they are paid less.

If this is true, why are there so many people claiming Swayman has "only" won 1 playoff round and hasn't the required hardware to consider himself one of the best? If a goalie position is less important, why does how many playoff series wins matter?

 

[danpantz]

I am glad that Swayman has the self-respect to demand a salary that reflects his value, especially after management mistreated him during arbitration.

Memo to Bruins management: it is unacceptable to lie during negotiations. That goes for both last year and this year.

They lied during the arbitration that was decided on by a neutral party and then gave Sway a year of it back?

 

[neelynugs]

bruins claim jiri patera off waivers...the swayman replacement!!

seriously, just sign already guy

 

[SPLBRUIN]

If Swayman sits out/refuses to sign the Bruins will be sitting with a ton of cap space, surely enough to address the issue of a top 6 winger. I still want Swayman to sign with the Bruins, but Vegas, Pittsburgh and Chicago have shown that you can still win cups without having a bonafide #1. Fortunately the Bruins have a really strong D to support Korps.

 

[danpantz]

Sweeney should’ve brought him back to arbitration this year.

I guarantee he wouldn’t sniff even 6.4 mil in that.

 

[Babajingo]

I wonder how much of Swaymans stance is dictated/directed by the union. I mean, Oettinger is due up next year. I'm sure his agent and the union are watching these negotiations.

 

[PlayMakers]

“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 after Boston’s overtime win over the Blues on Saturday night.

I hope management has learned their lesson.

Poor Jeremy. They pointed out his shortcomings and things he needs to get better at to earn bigger money. How awful for him.

Give me a break.

 

[Greek_physique]

bruins claim jiri patera off waivers...the swayman replacement!!

seriously, just sign already guy

Lol massive news...he can play all 82games! No backup needed

 

[PlayMakers]

Sweeney should’ve brought him back to arbitration this year.

I guarantee he wouldn’t sniff even 6.4 mil in that.

I actually think they were trying to do Swayman a solid by not going to arbitration. Clearly, he doesn't have the makeup to handle the process. He's still crying about the last time they went to arbitration can you imagine how "damaged" he would be if they did it twice?

 

[Patdud]

I think we traded the wrong goalie, Gross will have him sit out till 12/1 and whats the point of him returning? Trade him for a young center or winger and a vet goalie. People mentioned Anaheim, how much does Gibson make again?

 

[neelynugs]

I actually think they were trying to do Swayman a solid by not going to arbitration. Clearly, he doesn't have the makeup to handle the process. He's still crying about the last time they went to arbitration can you imagine how "damaged" he would be if they did it twice?

i'm already missing linus the f***ing viking

if the bruins drew a line in the sand and said 8 years/$6M AAV, i could get behind the angst
from #1. but 8x8 is fair IMO.

 

[Grimey]

If I see “management ball-washers” posted in here one more time I’m going to lose my mind.

 

[FrankerC]

With his ask, I would expect him to be in top 5 Vezina form all year. Bruins not making the playoffs would be completely on him. Goalies can carry teams, we have seen it firsthand. He is bringing all this on himself.

 

[LSCII]

This makes no sense whatsoever. They wanted to trade Swayman all along so they trade the in house replacement (Ullmark) and downgrade to Korpi only to then try to trade Swayman in a separate trade? Why on earth would a team like the Sens not just trade for Sway then instead of Ullmark? And why wouldn't they have just kept Ullmark and gotten a better return for Sway?

Also what was the character assassination here, I didn't listen to the presser...surely you aren't calling the $64 million reason comment an assassination of character right?

I didn't say all along. They would have happily kept him had he taken their low ball offer. When it became clear he was treating it as business, they clearly hit a point where they realized he was looking for fair market value, so plan b and Korpi kicked in.

I don't see him coming back after this.

If I see “management ball-washers” posted in here one more time I’m going to lose my mind.

I'd recommend avoiding all mirrors then...






Sorry, it was too hard to pass up....LOL

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

I didn't say all along. They would have happily kept him had he taken their low ball offer. When it became clear he was treating it as business, they clearly hit a point where they realized he was looking for fair market value, so plan b and Korpi kicked in.

I don't see him coming back after this.

How are you determining “fair market value” without using comps?

 

[NDiesel]

If I see “management ball-washers” posted in here one more time I’m going to lose my mind.

Hey now, what else do you call someone who isn't negative about every single thing management does

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

LAUGHING EMOJI

 

[PlayMakers]

At the end of the day, Swayman is a top 5 goalie who projects to improve further. The top 5 centers in the game all make over 8 million; why shouldn't Swayman? Is Swayman's position less important? Jeremy is right to want to reset the goalie market.

Agents and managers both make their arguments based on comparable players at comparable positions. It's how it's always been done, even in arbitration hearings, and that format was agreed to by the NHL and NHLPA.

Maybe a McDavid could say I don't care what's happened for 100 years, I want X and I have the clout to change the system. But who the f*** is Jeremy Swayman to think he's that guy? Talk about ego.

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

This is one of the best threads I've read on here. No sarcasm, super interesting stuff.