Jeremy Swayman To Sign «Bridge Deal» This Offseason

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Dylan Robillard
May 26, 2023 (11:06)

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There is no question that Jeremy Swayman shouldn't be on the Boston Bruins roster next season, but it might be more of a challenge to keep him then expected.

Jeremy Swayman is up for a new contract this summer, and the Boston Bruins will have to figure out how they can keep their tandem together in the short � long-term. While fighting tight salary cap restrictions.

The Bruins for another year are pressed up against the salary cap for the 2023 offseason.

General Manager Don Sweeney and company have been here before, but this time may be more of a challenge. For the first time in a long time, there is nothing to turn to for the Boston Bruins, things are changing and the team isn't far from a possible rebuild.

All thought the management should not be blamed. Sweeney saw an opportunity to go all in and make a run at the Stanley Cup this season, unfortunately a horrific first round demolished those dreams. Bruins fans had no problem with Sweeney's moves because they also thought everything would be perfect this season. The playoff run would back stop the most historically successful NHL regular season ever. Don Sweeney even earned him a spot as
one of the finalists for the NHL's General Manager of the Year Award. Still, things collapsed and now the team is staring down the $4.5 million in salary cap overages, that will make for some very hard decisions this off-season.

At the moment the Bruins don't have the money to sign Jeremy Swayman long-term or really short term, but Swayman, could sign a team «friendly» deal in favour of the Bruins. Then getting a bigger pay-day in the next couple seasons when cap space clears up.

When looking at comparable goalie signings in recent years, three-year deals have been fairly popular. Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger, who signed a three-year deal worth $12 million total at 23 years old just last season. Carter Hart signed a three-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers worth $11.93 million at 22 years old in 2021. Mackenzie Blackwood signed a three-year deal worth $8.4 million in 2020. Swayman (24) is older than all of these players when they signed, but he's still only played in 90 regular-season games; leaning in the Bruins favour.

In a long-term, getting Swayman to a deal close to $4 million annually would be best case. In the short-term, however, the Bruins may need to opt for a one-year deal to help them escape some of their salary concerns this offseason, which I mentioned earlier. Don Sweeney has his ways of convincing his players to sign for less money in the past to remain in Boston.

It should be interesting to see how everything unfolds this summer.