Contract Dispute Shadows Bruins' Pre-Season
The Boston Bruins find themselves at a crossroads as they navigate a protracted contract dispute with restricted free agent Jeremy Swayman. As the primary candidate to start between the pipes this season, Swayman's absence from the Bruins' training camp has cast a significant shadow over the team's preparations.
Swayman's pivotal role between the posts became evident after the Bruins traded Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators in the offseason, placing increased importance on securing Swayman’s new contract. Bruins' management has faced its share of criticism for not locking down Swayman’s contract before making the Ullmark trade, a decision that has raised eyebrows among fans and analysts alike.
In negotiations, the Bruins offered Swayman an eight-year contract. However, the young goaltender's camp, represented by agent Lewis Gross, is seeking a deal with an average annual value reportedly upwards of $9.5 million. Last season, Swayman earned $3.475 million on a one-year contract awarded through arbitration. Foregoing arbitration this offseason, Swayman and his camp aimed for a more straightforward negotiation process. Instead, it has turned into a standoff.
Gross, known for being straightforward, broke his silence on the matter. "Normally, I do not release statements or discuss negotiations through the media," he said. "However, in this case, I feel I need to defend my client. At today's press conference, $64 million was referenced. That was the first time that number was discussed in our negotiations. Prior to the press conference, no offer was made reaching that level."
Bruins' team president Cam Neely added another layer to the narrative. "I don't want to get into the weeds with what his ask is, but I know that I have 64 million reasons why I'd be playing right now," Neely remarked, signaling some frustration over the ongoing negotiations.
General Manager Don Sweeney also stood firm on the Bruins' approach. Addressing the decision to trade Ullmark, he explained, "We made a decision to chart a course. Both goaltenders asked to play 55 games. That's not possible if you're playing on the same team. We decided to make a decision. We were comfortable going forward with Jeremy. We knew what the likely return would be for Linus."
Sweeney appeared unapologetic about the move, emphasizing the strategic nature of their decision-making. "I don't regret that decision one bit, in terms of the decision we made to move forward and attack some of the areas we could benefit from in the free agent market," he added.
With the season fast approaching, Joonas Korpisalo is slated to start in the Bruins' opener against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 8. The Bruins' management, however, remains hopeful that Swayman will join the team before the critical Dec. 1 deadline, which determines his eligibility for the upcoming season. As Sweeney optimistically stated, "We expect Jeremy to rejoin the team before Dec. 1."
Swayman's potential as the team's primary starter underscores the urgency of the situation. The Bruins' hopes to avoid a prolonged absence are clear. Despite the optimism expressed by Sweeney, the negotiation table remains active and the clock is ticking. How this saga concludes will likely have lasting implications for the Bruins' season and their goaltending stability going forward.