The Boston Bruins have yet to finalize a contract extension for star goaltender Jeremy Swayman, but General Manager Don Sweeney is eager to correct misconceptions about the negotiation process.
Don Sweeney was all kinds of fired up today when addressing the Jeremy Swayman contract situation. 🍿 pic.twitter.com/vGsgP5YhNl
— Nick Alberga (@thegoldenmuzzy) September 18, 2024
In a heated press conference on Wednesday, Sweeney addressed rumors that he and the Bruins front office had been ignoring Swayman’s calls during the offseason. He strongly denied these claims, labeling them as “bulls—” and expressing frustration with the misinformation.
The rumors originated from Ryan Whitney, a former player and co-host of Barstool’s “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast, who suggested that Sweeney had not returned Swayman’s calls. Sweeney dismissed Whitney’s claims, referring to his show derogatorily as the “Spittin up on yourself podcast.” He also addressed comments made by Whitney’s co-host Paul Bissonnette, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to refute the rumor.
The #RumorBoys are back at it again hearing the Bruins offered Swayman 4 years x $6.2M AAV
Presented by @pinkwhitney https://t.co/H2asmmniJU pic.twitter.com/YtrTHCpjNS
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) September 4, 2024
Despite the tension surrounding the negotiations, Sweeney remains hopeful about reaching an agreement before the December 1 deadline. He expressed disappointment that a deal has not yet been secured but remains optimistic that the contract will be finalized in time. Sweeney emphasized the team’s ongoing commitment to negotiating with Swayman, stating, “It’s our intention to continue negotiating a contract.”
The December 1 deadline is crucial, as any contract signed after that date would not be valid for the 2024-25 season, meaning Swayman would be ineligible to play until the following season.
"At the end of the day I'm optimistic because I think we'll find a landing spot before December 1st."
Don Sweeney on the status of Jeremy Swayman's contract with the Bruins. pic.twitter.com/IHZZamCNH9
— NESN (@NESN) September 18, 2024
Last season, Swayman achieved a career-high 25 wins, with a record of 25-10-8. The Bruins have already made a significant change to their goaltending lineup by trading Linus Ullmark to Ottawa in June. In return, Boston acquired goalie Jonas Korpisalo, center Mark Kastelic, and a 2024 first-round pick, which was used to select center Dean Letourneau.
