With the Boston Bruins two weeks out from training camp, and no deal with goaltender Jeremy Swayman yet struck, fans are starting to wonder what is happening and whether they should panic.
As of Sept. 4, two things are clear: the first is that Swayman has made it clear he wants to stay with the Bruins. The second is that, according to Rich Keefe of WEEI, he is looking for a deal worth at least an average annual value of $10 million.
Some fans are starting to panic that they will be stuck with Joonas Korpisalo and think that Boston may have traded Linus Ullmark too soon. However, is it really time to start thinking about a regular season without Swayman and should fans start to panic, or is it still too early and do the Bruins still hold the leverage in the situation?
There’s No Need for Fans to Panic… Yet…
If the season were to start today, the Bruins’ goaltender room would most likely consist of Korpisalo and former American Hockey League All-Star Brandon Bussi from Providence. While it’s not an ideal situation with Korpisalo never playing above 37 games in his entire NHL tenure before the 2023-24 season where he played 55, having one netminder with substantial NHL experience would be at least a good place to start.
Related: Bruins Need to Find a Way to Meet Swayman’s Contract Demands
As we’ve seen in Boston, sometimes it takes two solid goalies in net. Yes, most teams ride the hot hand, but it’s important to have a reliable contingency plan in place, which many thought Korpisalo would be once Swayman was signed.
Now, while Swayman has not been signed to this point, there is no reason to panic. All reports indicate that he has every intention to sign with the Bruins, and no external offer sheets have been reported. It appears that as of today, it will come down to the money, thereby giving the Bruins leverage.
How Do the Bruins Hold Leverage?
The Bruins have let Swayman (relatively speaking) test the free agent waters and see what is out there, and now it’s looking like he’ll be back and will see what Boston has to offer him after not receiving any offers from any other teams.
Another reason why the Bruins are leading the leverage game is that the amount of money that Swayman is commanding may not be as much as he wants, especially if he were to stay with the team.
According to Spotrac.com, the Bruins have just over $8.6 million in cap space going into the 2024-25 season. That number is more than double the $3.475 million he was paid in the 2023-24 season that he was awarded through arbitration.
In one situation, if the Bruins were to double Swayman’s salary, and add in $500,000 on top of that, that would give him an AAV of around $7.5 million.
While the $7.5 million will not be exactly what Swayman is asking for, it is in the upper range of goalie salaries in the league. Now, while he may not be getting exactly what he wants, it is a way for the organization to give him a substantial raise until more cap space opens up for a larger deal.
What Are the Next Steps for Both Sides?
At this time, there are really no next steps that can be taken since neither side is budging. It’s a waiting game on both ends, Swayman for an offer, and the Bruins for him to cave and accept a deal to stay with the club that drafted him.
While there is organizational depth at the goalie position, whether that is in the future with Philip Svedeback from Providence College or in the AHL, that is no guarantee of success. The only two goaltenders in their system (outside of Swayman) with NHL experience right now are Korpisalo and Michael DiPietro. The latter has not touched NHL ice since the 2021-22 season, and that was for only one game.
Is it time to panic in Boston about Swayman? No, not yet. Should further steps be taken? Absolutely.
