The Boston Bruins have one major move left this offseason: finalizing a contract with goaltender Jeremy Swayman. Following the trade of Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators in June, the Bruins have committed to Swayman as their primary netminder. However, as the summer progresses, the restricted free agent remains without a new deal.
Earlier this week, Bruins CEO Charlie Jacobs addressed the ongoing negotiations, stating, “I try not to comment on player personnel contract negotiations. We are still negotiating with Sway. I hope that he’s ready to play come training camp. We have some things to work out. I’m sure we’ll get there.”
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman also weighed in, noting that the talks are proving challenging. On a recent episode of “32 Thoughts: The Podcast,” Friedman said, “The last I heard, they weren’t close. I think this has been a bit of a challenging negotiation, but they’ve still got time, and we’ll see how this sorts out.”
While the lack of progress is concerning, there is still ample time before training camp begins on September 18 and the season opener against the Florida Panthers on October 8. The Bruins and Swayman have the opportunity to finalize the deal before the start of the season, but if negotiations continue to stall, it could create additional drama as the regular season approaches.