Speculation: The Bruins and Jeremy Swayman are far apart in contract term (length) and dollar amount.

[Menzinger]

They had to trade Ullmark when they did because if his NTC of they wanted any chance of recouping a high draft pick after trading so many away.


I'd guess they had a frame work in place with Swayman before the trade, but Swayman's agent probably got his ear after the Ullmark trade and sold him on the idea of leveraging that to "reset the goalie market".

They could have extended him instead, no?

 

[gstommylee]

He’s an RFA and at this point of the season, the Bruins couldn’t recoup much for him that would help them this year.

And I imagine they’re confident that their system will keep them afloat.

So no, he doesn’t have all that much leverage. He can certainly manoeuvre his way to a new team, but it probably won’t happen until the draft.

The Bruins will play games and make money without him. He won’t play or earn anything without the Bruins.

He should’ve signed an offer sheet. But maybe no one else wanted to meet his ask either…

Also, I’m a Sens fan not a Bruins fan.

No one is going to give up 4 firsts for him.

 

[Zirakzigil]

Bruins are being blunt with their fans to avoid negative pressure on them. Ball is in Swayss court.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Until Sway shows he can handle a starter workload he's on the outside for me. Hellebuyck and Vasi are still ahead for now.

That's on Boston for backing themselves into a corner. They went to arbitration last year and settled on a one year deal.

Knowing a big contract was coming. Trade Ullmark and see what Sway can do.

That to me, is on Boston, not Swayman.

 

[gstommylee]

Not a bruins fan so I’m not up to date on the ins and out of the situation but that’s the feeling I’m getting as well. Lewis Gross just seems shady

Given on what he has done for other clients he's pretty much is. Look at Nylander sounds like he forced the issue himself and signed with the leafs than to miss the entire season. Even the late Johnny Hockey on his last contract with the flames seem to got tired of the waiting and told Gross (his agent) to sign it.

That's on Boston for backing themselves into a corner. They went to arbitration last year and settled on a one year deal.

Knowing a big contract was coming. Trade Ullmark and see what Sway can do.

That to me, is on Boston, not Swayman.

Once a RFA case goes to in front of an arbitrator, its limited to one 1 year deals (IIRC). Also keeping Ullmark means they can't re-sign Swayman cause they wouldn't have the cap space to do so.

 

[wonton15]

I think what happened was that management offered them 8x6m but Neely thinks that 8x6=64. Makes a lot of sense.

 

[gstommylee]

I think what happened was that management offered them 8x6m but Neely thinks that 8x6=64. Makes a lot of sense.

Or 8x6 was an old offer that was refused so he tried 8x8 which seems to be refused or twisted in such a way that it was never offered.

 

[UConn126]

They could have extended him instead, no?

Hypothetically they could've, but I think 11 out of 10 teams would've preferred to keep the younger option that just had a great showing in the playoffs. It's easy to throw ideas like extending Ullmark instead out in hindsight but it really made aboslutely zero sense back then.

 

[canadianmagpie]

I think what happened was that management offered them 8x6m but Neely thinks that 8x6=64. Makes a lot of sense.

My mistake, you were making fun of Neely. Went over my head

 

[gstommylee]

now it entered the stage of negotiations through media. Non of us should be trust anyone here. Its no longer about getting it done its about making the other side look bad so it makes the "winning" side look good.

 

[Rob Brown]

My mistake, you were making fun of Neely. Went over my head

That's his point.

 

[gstommylee]

I feel bad for the other goalies, This mess is not going to help future goalies on future contracts as the player/agent think it will. Its just going to make it harder for future goalies to get new contracts imo.

 

[JianYang]

This kind of stuff should never get to the media. Bad move by Boston.

 

[wolfgaze]

If Gross was lying about having never received such an offer - wouldn't the Bruins management immediatley issue a press release to publicly correct the record and spare the organization from any reputational damage due to Gross' claim?

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1840801742616690967

The guy comments about how Johnny played on such a "sweetheart deal" (ie..a below market deal), then called Gross a parasite for trying to get Johnny a fair market deal.

We all love it when our team signs players to below market deals while playing for billionaire owners because we are fans of the team, but then berate players/agents who try to look out for their own best interest.

Agents are paid to get their agents the best deal. Owners/GMs are paid to get players signed for as low as possible. I'm all for the players trying to get the most that they can in a deal.

 

[TheBeard]

The guy comments about how Johnny played on such a "sweetheart deal" (ie..a below market deal), then called Gross a parasite for trying to get Johnny a fair market deal.

We all love it when our team signs players to below market deals while playing for billionaire owners because we are fans of the team, but then berate players/agents who try to look out for their own best interest.

Agents are paid to get their agents the best deal. Owners/GMs are paid to get players signed for as low as possible. I'm all for the players trying to get the most that they can in a deal.

Dunno, the signs of an agent that has absolutely no love for the sport but an undying infatuation with money. That's fine as that's their job, but eventually teams aren't gonna wanna negotiate with Gross players.

 

[Breakers]

Is Lewis gross seriously trying to play the victim like he didn’t leak countless stories before this about Boston Management

I hate to defend Boston
But give me a break. He knows damn well he did that.

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

As a Bruins fan i wouldn't be surprised if a lopsided trade not favoring the B's happens. I hope I'm wrong but typically the owners don't like or play ball with players like this.

 

[gstommylee]

This kind of stuff should never get to the media. Bad move by Boston.

This whole issue should never gone to the media to begin with and that not sole the fault of boston.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

Lewis Gross not be a drama queen during player negotiations challenge: Impossible.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Marner+Woll for Swayman?

Wouldn't do it for Woll 1 for 1 nvm adding Marner

 

[gstommylee]

Lewis Gross not be a drama queen during player negotiations challenge: Impossible.

Welcome to player agents. Sometimes its about pride/ego than actually getting things done.

 

[Max McBolt]

The top 4 goalies moving forward is Shesty Sway Oetter and Sorokin.

I could be wrong, but ppl have these 4 as elite for the next 10 years.

It is one thing to say that Swayman will be a top 4 goalie in the league and deserves big money, but there are still levels to that sh*t.


Carey Price had a Hart, Lindsay and Vezina trophy before being awarded his $10.5M / year contract.

Sergei Bobrovsky had 2x Vezinas to his name before being awarded his $10M / year contract.

Andrei Vasilevskyi who was a 25 yrs old RFA same age as Swayman, had won the Vezina the season prior to his $9.5M / year contract. The season before that he was a finalist to the trophy.


Sure Swayman is projected to be elite.
Sure the Bruins gave him leverage by trading Ullmark. But people need to stop acting like these things are on par with the status Price / Bob / Vasy achieved from the hardware they won.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Dunno, the signs of an agent that has absolutely no love for the sport but an undying infatuation with money. That's fine as that's their job, but eventually teams aren't gonna wanna negotiate with Gross players.

Nah. It doesn't matter if teams "want" to negotiate with them. If clients sign up with them, teams have no choice. Every sport has agents that fans say "eventually teams aren't going to want to negotiate with them", yet players keep signing up with those agents.

Look at Drew Rosenhaus. He currently has over 100 clients yet years back people said the same thing.

Fans tend to side with teams/owners, when in reality, players have very little leverage for the first approximately 8 years of their NHL career. Agents and RFAs are starting to use whatever leverage they have. Good for them.

 

[TheBeard]

Nah. It doesn't matter if teams "want" to negotiate with them. If clients sign up with them, teams have no choice. Every sport has agents that fans say "eventually teams aren't going to want to negotiate with them", yet players keep signing up with those agents.

Look at Drew Rosenhaus. He currently has over 100 clients yet years back people said the same thing.

Fans tend to side with teams/owners, when in reality, players have very little leverage for the first approximately 8 years of their NHL career. Agents and RFAs are starting to use whatever leverage they have. Good for them.

Maybe, but he doesn't exactly have an all-star roster of clientele. Outside of Swayman and Nylander the only real names are Krug, Saad, Sandin, Pinto and Iafallo. Baseball doesn't operate under a cap structure either and Drew knows that there will always be free-spending teams who don't make responsible decisions. Hockey is a different beast for the most part.

Sway may be in for a rude awakening if he ends up getting traded and isn't putting up close to the same numbers as he did playing part-time in Boston.