Player Discussion Jeremy Swayman: VII- Swayman doesn't want his time as a Bruin to end

[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...

 

[neelynugs]

So Sweeney probably going to cave and give him 8.25 M ~ 66 M

I’m ok with this but Swayman needs to be happy and want to be here. I’m curious what he weighs in at.

He pulls something early on could be a nightmare

Anyways 46 hours since Cam sent out the signal 64 M is on the table

Donny just to nice let’s Sway/Gross get the W with 66 M

I’m hoping we get the Monty hates kids thread up by the weekend

Get it done guys

did you start thinking about trade offers from columbus at all? they might be the only team that can do something now
from a financial perspective and from a need standpoint. and they have some pretty sweet young pieces.

but i still think it's very unlikely - just a crap time to make a trade.

 

[badbrewin]

I still want Sway on the Bs, but he needs to dump that agent.

Fully in agreement, but in the end, any separation between he and his agent will come down to the will to play for this organization versus just maximizing his payday, on whichever NHL team that may be. And between us, sadly the agent does not give a **** about where he plays, as long as he gets his 4-5% cut.

 

[Smitty93]

This is a very simplistic way of looking at it.

In the end the Bruins have a business to run and they value players a certain way. Over-value a guy and overpay 2, 3, 4m here or there and you start not being able to fill important positions. Pay Swayman 9m+ now and you need to dump salary this year. It’s not as simple as “oh just pay him what he wants and we’ll figure that out later.” This isn’t the NFL, the cap is a hard cap and money is finite. What you pay one of your player impacts everything from the money available this year, in the future, and how people approach your organization in negotiations moving forward.

In a vacuum, it’s very easy to say pay that man what he wants with other people’s money.

I’m all for guys going for what they think they’re worth. But I’m not a fan of the way this whole thing has gone down. I also think the Bruins did some things in good faith to show Swayman he’s their guy and I think Swayman’s team took those concessions and tried to leverage them for more money. Once the first leaks started going public, this thing was always going to turn into two boxers going to their respective corners.

Now I’m not sure this can be mended. I also think Gross overplayed his hand as now Swayman is running out of good options.

This is why you don't overpay/overspend on backups/down the lineup players like Korpisalo, Zadorov, and Peeke. Overpaying stars isn't a big deal. Overpaying secondary players is what kills you.

 

[Saxon Eric]

did you start thinking about trade offers from columbus at all? they might be the only team that can do something now
from a financial perspective and from a need standpoint. and they have some pretty sweet young pieces.

but i still think it's very unlikely - just a crap time to make a trade.

I did
2025 first,Kent Johnson and an NCAA rights guy like say Guillaume Richard

 

[Hookslide]

Rask had a .940 SV% in the playoffs the season before he signed his extension. Swayman had a .933 SV% these past playoffs. It's better, but not by a significant margin.

Rask never had a 940% in the playoffs, but when he signed his extension, he doubled his salary when he did sign that contract not tripled it.

 

[LSCII]

Nice goal post rocket boosters.

Swayman hasn't really won anything of note in the postseason either.

Saros has placed significantly higher in Vezina votes than Swayman and has a longer track record of being a number 1. Yes, that's a better resume.

You can phrase it any way you want and say it over and over. All it means is he and Swayman have the same number of Vezina Trophies. Your comp hasn’t won a thing and he hasn’t won a playoff series. Couple that with him having lesser numbers across the board in everything except games played, and I don’t even know why this is being debated.

 

[Smitty93]

There's a thing with emotional alphas that is hard to explain if you've never had one in your life. I've seen guys willing to burn it ALL down to somehow not look weak. Its definitely something to behold.

That theory you were all agreeing with this last page, that's been basically my theory the whole time. Gross is a snake, Sway has gotten very bad advice, and that side has totally misunderstood their leverage basically the whole time.

So let's see. Let's see.

Didn't Neely do just this on Monday?

 

[KillerMillerTime]

The new lineup has a bunch less warts- they're a playoff team with or without swayman.

Nope, they are no guarantee to make PO if they are transitioning from Ullmark\Swayman to Korpisalo\Patera\Bussi. Whatever they gain on the blue line they are bleeding that away and more in net, no question. Then how likely are you going to see your top 7F miss 12 games combined? One LT injury (20G) to any of their top 4F will sink them.

 

[badbrewin]

This is why you don't overpay/overspend on backups/down the lineup players like Korpisalo, Zadorov, and Peeke. Overpaying stars isn't a big deal. Overpaying secondary players is what kills you.

From the Sens' standpoint, the B's had to take Korpisalo in the deal, but unfortunately weren't able to have them retain 50%. A frugal team in a small market rarely ever does that.

But you are right about the secondary guys - lots of term and $ locked into their top 4 D, Peeke on board for 2 more seasons and by the time he is gone, one or both of Lohrei will be due more $.

 

[LSCII]

Paraphrasing what I just read in a Bruins season preview article on the Athletic: the Bruins had an elite goalie start 82 games last regular season. If they don’t sign Swayman, they will have an elite goalie start 0 games this season. Torpedoes their chances at making the playoffs.

The luxury of having 2 elite starters covered a lot of warts in this lineup.

Literally the most accurate post in the entire thread here. But hey, goalie Bob will fix Korpi because it’s plug and play and the actual players don’t matter…

 

[dugg133]

Rask never had a 940% in the playoffs, but when he signed his extension, he doubled his salary when he did sign that contract not tripled it.

Rask literally did have a .940 SV% in the 2013 cup run

 

[LSCII]

You missed on so many guys here last year when it came to their money vs contribution, that I'm going to reserve the right to see all 3 of these guys play now before declaring those contracts bad.

Such as? Love to hear the list if it’s so many guys.

 

[KrejciMVP]

Like I’ve pointed out plenty of times here, the cap issues come not from signing your best players to fair market deals, but from extending yourself on overpayments to bottom of the roster players. In this case, Korpisalo, Peeke, and Zadorov jump right to the top of the list.

I’m mean shit, would you rather overpay your starting goalie by a little bit or grossly overpay your bottom pairing dmen and your back up goalie? It’s foolhardy to be arguing over a small amount of money for an impact player when you’re paying your bottom pairing nearly $8 mill a year collectively.

Have to factor swayman and his agents behavior during these negotiations and the message it sends to the team. Swaymans own words discredit his position. His priority is not the team it seems but rather the the overall market for goalies in general

 

[Over the volcano]

did you start thinking about trade offers from columbus at all? they might be the only team that can do something now
from a financial perspective and from a need standpoint. and they have some pretty sweet young pieces.

but i still think it's very unlikely - just a crap time to make a trade.

CLB would be gold for the drama- what kind of #s do you think swayman puts up there behind that defense and the quality of life? He could look real Korpisaloish in a couple years

I hope he knows how good he has it on the ice and off in Boston.

 

[goldenblack]

Didn't Neely do just this on Monday?

No, and the evidence is that Sway will sign.

Burn it all down would be walking from 8x8 to prove a point.

 

[Fingertools]

Raise your hand if you think a 34 yr old Saros and Sorokin will out perform a 29 yr old Swayman 4 years from now, midway through an 8 yr deal - sure they both have a longer track record of being #1 but you have to look at future potential and that is where the Bruins and Swayman differ on their respective values - is it a risk in the event Swayman becomes Jack Campbell? Sure, but is there also a chance Swayman becomes the elite goalie we all think he will be and be in Shesterkin territory, making a lot less? Why not?

Although both the Bruins and Swayman seem to want a long term deal they differ in what each values Swayman's potential at, so the logical alternative would have been a fair bridge - but you can't use Soros and Sorokin comps signed years ago, before exponential cap rising, the elimination of the black hole that is Arizona, inevitable future expansion etc. That was only preferable last year, which ithe Bruins couldn't (or wouldn't) do.

If the Bruins don't think Swayman is worth more than a bridge signed by his so called peers years ago and can't come to terms that's their prerogative, but in that case you need to prepare for the worst and trade him when he is at his highest value and has no say as to where he goes - not now.

 

[analyser]

Like I’ve pointed out plenty of times here, the cap issues come not from signing your best players to fair market deals, but from extending yourself on overpayments to bottom of the roster players. In this case, Korpisalo, Peeke, and Zadorov jump right to the top of the list.

I’m mean shit, would you rather overpay your starting goalie by a little bit or grossly overpay your bottom pairing dmen and your back up goalie? It’s foolhardy to be arguing over a small amount of money for an impact player when you’re paying your bottom pairing nearly $8 mill a year collectively.

Management has to decide that 64 mil or what is being offered is their max. They cannot have every player negotiating for just a little more or the budget is going to get out of whack. Swayman and his dumbass agent have to see that they have pushed as far a they can and sign on the dotted line.

Otherwise work on a trade and let the available cash to be used elsewhere. Swayman makes the current team better but if he does not want to come to his senses then so be it.

 

[Over the volcano]

Rask literally did have a .940 SV% in the 2013 cup run
View attachment 911960

And a 1.88 GAA

And he still gets blamed for just about everything after signing that deal.

 

[badbrewin]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841811926998802499

This is encouraging. I don't want to have to sell his 4 rookie cards (in a Bruins uniform) at a loss, LOL.

Seriously though - with $7.8M of cap space, I also wonder how they can get a guy like Tyler Johnson under contract. Have to figure that he'd get at least $1M.

 

[LSCII]

Have to factor swayman and his agents behavior during these negotiations and the message it sends to the team. Swaymans own words discredit his position. His priority is not the team it seems but rather the the overall market for goalies in general

How so? What actions are you talking about specifically?

 

[Hookslide]

Rask literally did have a .940 SV% in the 2013 cup run
View attachment 911960

I saw a different stat, but it is possible my information was wrong, but Rask played 22 games Sway played 12 which is part of what this is a bout.

 

[DKH]

I still want Sway on the Bs, but he needs to dump that agent.

My take as well

He was a willing means to get back at Sweeney over the unfortunate Krug negotiations

That he got beat in arbitration made it easy to sell the Bruins as bad guys

gross has a history but I only really paid attention to the Nylander stuff mainly thru Leafs board and it was 100X more shit show then this

 

[NeelyDan]

Swayman should bend the knee today

Then we walk him through the streets of Boston, naked, with the shame bell being rung methodically

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Rask never had a 940% in the playoffs, but when he signed his extension, he doubled his salary when he did sign that contract not tripled it.

He did though. 2013, right before signing his big deal

 

[neelynugs]

I did
2025 first,Kent Johnson and an NCAA rights guy like say Guillaume Richard

i also like tarasov, still think he can be useful (and voronkov, and marchenko, and mateychuk, etc)