The Boston Bruins moved Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators in a move that is currently being highly questioned without obtaining Jeremy Swayman, their former goalie partner, a contract extension. After sharing the crease with Ullmark in 2023, Swayman became the team’s first choice in goal during the 2024 postseason. With his impressive play and.933 save %, he was also selected by the team as their future goalie. As a result, the club traded Ullmark, believing they could easily complete a Swayman transaction.
The timing was more of a blunder than the Ullmark trade. Time is elapsing as the Swayman deal remains unfinished. There are worries that the Bruins may be open to an offer sheet because the two sides decided against going to arbitration. Additionally, Swayman’s contract may raise the bar for other netminders, or vice versa, and concerns regarding Boston’s cap room are now being raised.
The Bruins Have Long Held Efforts to Make a Swayman Deal
Early in March, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet revealed that Swayman and Bruins general manager Don Sweeney had started contract negotiations. Swayman attested to such, though he did not provide specifics regarding the status of the situation. Furthermore, it’s difficult to gauge the situation. Swayman said that the arbitration procedure last summer was difficult, comparing it to “hearing things that a player should never hear.” He’s probably sufficiently professional to proceed, but when the talks reopen, there are a few things you should keep in mind. His expectations and degree of flexibility were probably affected by this event.
The Bruins’ decision to trade Ullmark before to reaching an agreement with Swayman was noteworthy, even though they were aware that it might have slightly strained their relationship. While some could contend that the Bruins had to cover Ullmark’s $5 million salary hit, Boston took a significant risk by not securing a signed deal for Swayman.
The Bruins Are Now in a Tough Situation
The Bruins now have to deal with a guy who has shown his value and has a lot of negotiation power, even if he is a restricted free agency. Swayman is expected to want a significant raise from his previous contract of just less than $3.5 million, as he is two years away from having unrestricted free agency. Swayman is the only player on the active roster who does not have a contract that needs to be renewed, and the Bruins now have over $8.6 million in cap space for the 2024–25 season. The goalie is aware of his worth and that he is the Bruins’ top priority. He also realizes that they are in a difficult situation.
Swayman’s significance to the squad was highlighted by General Manager Don Sweeney, who said on July 1 that “Sway is a big part of this whole dynamic of what we’re trying to put together.” It is our first focus. We will not give up on trying to reach an amicable agreement. Nevertheless, Sweeney has no intention of showing his cards. Even if there are, he maintained there is no connection between Swayman’s negotiations and free agency. “We’re in a great spot to find the best-negotiated deal we can find for both sides,” he said to the reporters. That has proven to be untrue, and Swayman appears ready to throw down the towel.
This is not to say that an offer sheet is imminent or that a deal won’t be completed. Swayman will most likely sign a long-term contract extension in Boston. Nevertheless, Swayman has the option to ease Boston’s burden or prolong this. In any case, there will be a significant increase in the netminder’s salary.
Options have an average annual value (AAV) of between $6.5 million and $7.5 million, and they range in length from a long-term agreement to a shorter two-year contract. An offer sheet might also be a threat if the Bruins continue to play hardball. Swayman might sign anything over $9 million, especially considering the tense negotiations in the past.
In retrospect, it seems like the Bruins made a mistake when they traded Ullmark without first obtaining Swayman. The Bruins risk losing a player they have made a significant investment in if they try to lowball Swayman once more and another team makes a better offer. In the very least, Sweeney has taken away the possibility of a transaction that would benefit the team and left Swayman with little incentive to help them.
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