Player Discussion Jeremy Swayman: VII- As featured in Episode 3 of Amazon's "FACEOFF: Inside the NHL

[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...

 

[KrejciMVP]

For those of you eager to see him gone I think you'll get your wish because I predict tomorrow he's going to say he wants a trade citing Cam Neely's lie and lack of trust with the organization.

Probably right. The search for a goalie prospect begins.

 

[Oates2Neely]

It’s arbitration. That’s the art of negotiation, your side presents your best moments, management cites your low moments. Even if he still thinks about those critiques WHY come public with them now? The more this drags out the more I feel Swayman is mentally soft.

 

[Hookslide]

I've seen this movie end the same way 100 times, with a press conference to announce the deal and everyone smiling and praising each other. I still think the deal gets done, maybe for fewer years.

You are correct most times that is the case, but I think sign, or no sign, this movie ends differently the smiles are replaced with bitterness and mistrust. I feel if he stays " it is only for the kids " divorce is imminent.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

I agree it is an overpay for the first few years of the deal, and probably then becomes and underpay for the remainder.

Or more likely it shifts from overpayment to fair value. Unlikely to ever be a bargain at $9.5 unless he turns into the clear #1 NHL goalie for his entire prime and even then debatable.

 

[Gee Wally]

Being this publicly sensitive I think its best for him to be moved.
This town eats goalies alive let alone with this extra drama.

 

[SwayHeyKid]

Because there isn't a debate. Saros has been in serious contention for Vezinas while Swayman has not. Saros has proven he can handle a 60 plus workload for several years in a row now - Swayman has not. Whether you like it or not, that is a better resume and that's why the Bruins initial offers started with figures similar to guys like Saros when he was roughly the same age and similar circumstance in replacing the former Vezina level goaltender #1 of the team. That wasn't good enough for Swayman's camp so the Bruins upped their offer, skipping a bridge deal, and have an offer on the table similar to those who have proven themselves as #1 guys - still not enough and the Bruins most likely have no interest in helping Swayman's wish of setting a new market for goaltenders without having done anything of note yet in his career to demand that.

Maybe his failure to win a round says he cannot handle a 60 plus workload during the season?

 

[Smitty93]

Honestly so am I, but for a very different reason than you.

I'm workshopping a new term: the Swayman Line. It's the highest quality player you're willing to sacrifice in order to get rid of incompetent management.

 

[4ORRBRUIN]

Anything in possible, but there has been nothing in his career so far to indicate that is a likely outcome

Just like it can go the other way but costing 8mx8

 

[KnightofBoston]

I do not want a trade. At all. Perhaps I’m wrong but i can’t see the value being great, especially if he goes public with the trade request. I also don’t trust Sweeney to navigate the trade.

yep. Going to be a huge blunder if we lose both Ullmark and Swayman in the span of a year.

 

[Dr Hook]

Being this publicly sensitive I think its best for him to be moved.
This town eats goalies alive let alone with this extra drama.

He'd be fine in Dallas with this going on, seriously.

 

[EverettMike]

Yes ,he is a baby. Your version of being a fing man is a different than mine.

Problem is he wants to get paid "like the fing man" when he hasn't proven he is.

Didn't play like a baby. Didn't pout. Didn't let off ice issues impact his on ice performance. Not sure what more you could ask of a player than to play his absolute best. None of that has to do with his current contract demands and their merits (or lack thereof). It just means that however he feels personally it does not diminish what he does when the puck drops. If anything it seemed to make him more motivated and focused, a trait you often see with the best professional athletes.

 

[ON3M4N]

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.

Odd this must have been a different Tuukka Rask then

 

[SwayHeyKid]

Being this publicly sensitive I think its best for him to be moved.
This town eats goalies alive let alone with this extra drama.

Agreed he should see how they treated Tuukka. 1 cup in 52 years and four general managers in that time (not counting Gorton). But hey, most wins October to March.

Probably right. The search for a goalie prospect begins.

Goalie prospect will fit right in for a team built for now.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

Being this publicly sensitive I think its best for him to be moved.
This town eats goalies alive let alone with this extra drama.

Swayman had a short window to separate himself from the agent this week and has not. Incriminating in a way. This is very unfortunate for the Bruins. Swayman himself will be fine, he will find a new team and a bridge contract before getting his money. It won't be a playoff team however, cannot imagine.

The Tim Thomas extracurriculars (not that anyone should have cared) about ended him in Boston yes? And that was a beloved goalie let alone still unproven Swayman.

 

[JoeIsAStud]

Or more likely it shifts from overpayment to fair value. Unlikely to ever be a bargain at $9.5 unless he turns into the clear #1 NHL goalie for his entire prime and even then debatable.

The response was to someone who was talking about 8 million. I think 8 million is an overpay for the first couple of years of the deal (he has not proven to be worth that today). But it likely will be an underpayment in 3 years when the cap goes up by 12 million and he is in his prime seasons

But at the same time he could get injured and then it is dead money for 5 years. That is the risk reward for long term contracts on both the player and team side. team overpays for the early years with the understanding that at some point if the player continues the contract will be right or even a bargain. In return for maybe getting 10 million less over the next 8 years than the player might on a series of 1 year deals the player gets the security of knowing where they will be and that even if they decline they are taken care of

The opposite is true on older players it may be a bit of a bargain early, but then an overpay late.

 

[Ladyfan]

I believe Sway will sign and hopefully play well enough so all of this nasty shit calms down.

I also think he will miss his buddy Linus more than anyone thinks....for many reasons. Linus was his biggest fan and helped Sway a lot. Their friendship was so fun to see up close (and we were really up close).

 

[Bodit9]

That would be interesting, especially since I don't think there is a trade market for him right now that makes sense. They would be asking someone to give them assets in line with the player value which, whatever is said here, is solid, and then have to be willing to play $8.5m + a year, probably on a long term. That's a situation where I think there would be very few takers. Unless he is willing to take less because it's not the Bruins, which is a possiblity too.

Columbus lines up pretty well. Can afford him. Young forward prospects. Draft picks. Need a #1. Bruins can send him to hockey purgatory.

 

[khanomcat]

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

Don’t forget the pillory.

 

[PatriceBergeronFan]

The response was to someone who was talking about 8 million. I think 8 million is an overpay for the first couple of years of the deal (he has not proven to be worth that today). But it likely will be an underpayment in 3 years when the cap goes up by 12 million and he is in his prime seasons

But at the same time he could get injured and then it is dead money for 5 years. That is the risk reward for long term contracts on both the player and team side. team overpays for the early years with the understanding that at some point if the player continues the contract will be right or even a bargain. In return for maybe getting 10 million less over the next 8 years than the player might on a series of 1 year deals the player gets the security of knowing where they will be and that even if they decline they are taken care of

The opposite is true on older players it may be a bit of a bargain early, but then an overpay late.

$8 x 8 seems to be such a natural compromise for both sides.

 

[PB37]

Maybe his failure to win a round says he cannot handle a 60 plus workload during the season?

He's worked the most regular season games in the past three years, so maybe that is the case. Or the lack of a better supporting cast. Would Swayman's ability to only win 1 round mean he can't handle over 45 games?

In any event and regardless of who you think is better than who, the Bruins are offering Swayman a much better contract than his contemporaries at the same age - still not enough.

 

[Chevalier du Clavier]

Agreed he should see how they treated Tuukka. 1 cup in 52 years and four general managers in that time (not counting Gorton). But hey, most wins October to March.

I see your Tuukka and raise you a Timmy Thomas.

 

[KillerMillerTime]

LOL Bruins holding the Canes game 7 and Panthers game 7 against him? The series where he went 3-2 vs the 2 seed and then the series where McAvoy tipped the tying goal by him?

Talk about grasping for straws

Delete

 

[Hookslide]

Odd this must have been a different Tuukka Rask then

View attachment 911990

I already posted that I was wrong, but you should not read that because it would not make your day.

 

[LSCII]

A guy who competes hard and got 17G / 14A on an atrocious Chicago team last season is far from washed up. His preseason sampling has been very good and TJ was brought in here in case Merkulov and Lysell didn't take the next leap....and guess what.

Yet he’s on a pto bc nobody wanted to sign him. And half his points and goals came on the PP, which means you’re taking about a 8-9 goal 16 point player without a lot of PPTOI. Which he won’t get here, unless shit is going badly.

So again, that’s not a dude you need to worry about signing at the expense of your top goalie.

 

[khanomcat]

Let's hope would be best for both parties IMO.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1841831916317675607

“Hearing you’re not worthy of what you think you’re worthy of” Wow. Isn’t that what every player hears in arbitration hearings?