Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman is set to secure a significant payday, with NHL.com’s Dan Rosen projecting that Swayman could command over $9 million per season. As a restricted free agent, the 25-year-old Swayman finds himself in a unique position, with the Bruins holding just under $9 million in salary cap space to finalize his contract. He and the team elected not to file for arbitration and there’s a small chance of an offer sheet, but most believe this deal will get done.
His impressive statistics—including 79 wins, a 2.34 goals-against average (GAA), a .919 save percentage, and 12 shutouts in 132 NHL games—underscore the fact that he’s likely worth what he’s asking for. Swayman, who played a career-high 44 games last season, earned the starting role in Boston, and his play led to the Bruins feeling comfortable enough to trade Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators. Swayman’s 25 wins, 2.53 GAA, .916 save percentage, and three shutouts made him the undisputed number-one goalie in Boston. However, the Bruins are being criticized for giving Swayman’s camp more leverage in negotiations since Boston now “needs” to get a deal done.
Are There Comparable Contracts for Swayman and the Bruins?
As Rosen points out, there are a few comparisons the Bruins can use, even if his situation is slightly different because of the rising salary cap. Juuse Saros, older by four years, signed an eight-year, $61.92 million contract ($7.74 million AAV) with the Nashville Predators when he was a year away from unrestricted free agency. Connor Hellebuyck secured a seven-year, $59.5 million contract ($8.5 million AAV) with the Winnipeg Jets before last season at age 30. Thatcher Demko, at 25, signed a five-year, $25 million deal ($5 million AAV) with the Vancouver Canucks. Andrei Vasilevskiy, also 25, signed an eight-year, $76 million contract ($9.5 million AAV) with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019, after winning the Vezina Trophy.
Where does Swayman rank when compared to these netminders?
If Swayman opts for an eight-year contract, the AAV might slightly dip below $9 million due to the extended term’s value. However, a five- or six-year deal could push his AAV to $10 million. That’s a big number that would likely necessitate a corresponding move out of Boston.
Next: Buffalo Sabres Bet Big on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen 5-Yr Contract
