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Jeremy Swayman

Bruins Could Turn To Trade Market For Spark

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The Boston Bruins have finally acknowledged how underwhelming their season has been, becoming the first team to fire a head coach this season when they let go all-time single-season wins record holder Jim Montgomery. Associate coach and penalty-kill expert Joe Sacco has been promoted in his place. That move is likely to bring a wave of defense to a Bruins lineup that’s tied for the third-most goals-against this season. But general manager Don Sweeney isn’t waiting around for hypotheticals, with The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reporting that the team is simultaneously exploring the trade market for a potential spark.

LeBrun said Sweeney isn’t beating around the bush, directly calling out the poor play of new additions like Elias Lindholm – who Boston signed a seven-year, $54.25MM contract with Boston this summer. He’s followed that deal with just two goals and nine points through Boston’s first 20 games. That’s miles away from the production of the true top-line center that Lindholm was signed to be, and his rank of third on the team in scoring underlines just how bad the offense has been. LeBrun, not Sweeney, also pointed to the struggles of goaltender Jeremy Swayman, who leads the league in goals-against (47) in just 14 games. That equates to an .884 save percentage and 3.47 goals-against-average – perhaps the very last thing Boston expected when they went through rounds of contract negotiations during training camp.

The woes continue with Sweeney’s other gut calls. Defender Nikita Zadorov only has five assists in 20 games – and leads the league in penalty minutes (46) – and forward Max Jones hasn’t scored once in four appearances. It’s not all bad for the lineup – in fact, the breakout of bottom-six fixtures like Justin Brazeau, Cole Koepke, and Mark Kastelic would cause celebration anywhere else – but it’s clear that the team is completely missing their engine. They’ve done little to restock the cupboards since Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci stepped down from their posts, instead casting a wide net for depth forwards and hoping for the best.

Should Boston pursue a trade, it’d almost certainly be for a high-impact, top-six forward. Where they’ll find a team willing to part with a major piece is less clear. Seattle Kraken centerman Yanni Gourde has popped up in early trade rumors, though his seven points in 20 games wouldn’t bring the spark Boston needs. Gourde did score 25 goals and 64 points on the 2017-18 Tampa Bay Lightning, and has hit 48 points three times since – though he’s failed to pass the half-century mark. The Bruins have been leaning into grit and physicality amid their struggles, evident by their recent call-ups – both pieces that Gourde brings in abundance.

But Gourde won’t carry Boston’s top-line, still leaving a glaring hole in what was supposed to be Lindholm’s role. That may necessitate a more brazen trade, like attempting to acquire hard-nosed Nashville Predators center Thomas Novak, who’s missed a handful of games to injury this season and only posted four points in the 14 games he has played. That’s far below the 18 goals and 45 points Novak posted last season, which was itself an improvement on 43 points the year before. Novak has been square in the middle of a Predators’ middle-six that simply isn’t working – but his gritty style and finishing ability would both be heralded by this Bruins club.

If Don Sweeney is truly looking to push all his chips in, he could also target former superstar prospect Shane Wright, who’s been healthy scratched in Seattle’s last two games after scoring just two points in 18 games this season. Wright has yet to find it out at the top level, now standing at nine points through 34 career games – contrary to his 60 points in 71 total AHL games last season. Wright’s talent has never been questioned, but his fit in Seattle is starting to look quickly uncomfortable. For the right price – likely a hefty package with plenty of draft capital – Boston could try to steal away the 20-year-old burgeoning star, and put him in a far better spot to succeed between David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand.

So early into the season, it’s hard to gauge which top forwards could actually be pried away from their lineup. The Bruins will wait to see how things go under Sacco before making any large moves. But a strong array of centermen should await Don Sweeney on the trade market, with the limiting factor being Boston’s wallet – and underbaked assets – more than the options ahead of them. They’ll have to push the boundaries of the budget to pull out of a difficult 8-9-3 start to the year.

Bruins Re-Sign Jeremy Swayman

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The Boston Bruins have signed star goaltender Jeremy Swayman to an eight-year, $66MM contract extension, finally ending the stalemate between the Bruins and the league’s final unsigned restricted free agent. The signing was first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and seconded by Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. LeBrun adds that the deal contains over $20MM in signing bonuses – likely one of the pieces that held up negotiations. Friedman confirmed that number as $23MM and adds that Swayman’s deal contains a no-trade clause.

Talks between the two sides became a bit theatrical at their peak, with Swayman vocal about wanting to sign a perceived fair deal while the Bruins’ brass lambasted his decision to holdout. Swayman missed the entirety of Boston’s training camp, ironically signing his long-term deal just hours after their final preseason game.

That delay could create a bit of a challenge, as Swayman is undoubtedly set to be Boston’s workhorse this season. The Bruins traded away former Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark this season, finally clearing the congestion after three years of platooning the two goalies. Ullmark was sent to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, forward prospect Mark Kastelic, and a 2024 first-round pick used to select centerman Dean Letourneau.

Ullmark’s trade freed up well over 40 starts, which should now trickle largely down to Swayman. The latter earned the lion’s share of appearances for the first time in his career last season, posting 25 wins and a .916 save percentages in 44 games – narrowly beating out Ullmark’s 22 wins and .915 in 40 games. It was Swayman’s third-straight season posting a save percentage north of .910, including the career-high .920 he set in 37 games of the 2022-23 season. That hot performance coupled with a Vezina-winning season from Ullmark (.938 in 49 games) to ultimately earn the Bruins pairing the William M Jennings Trophy for highest save percentage as a starting tandem.

Swayman, 25, is still young into his career. But he’s shown acumen on par with the best in the league. Through 132 career games across four seasons, Swayman has managed a dazzling 79 wins and .919 save percentage. He ranks fourth among all NHL goalies in save percentage since making his debut in 2020 – a list that is, coincidentally, led by Ullmark. That may suggest that Swayman’s setting behind a stout Bruins lineup is certainly ideal, though his success between the pipes extends far beyond Massachusetts. Swayman joined the Bruins immediately following the conclusion of his junior year at the University of Maine, where he made a strong case as the best goalie across a league that also featured Jake Oettinger and Spencer Knight. Swayman rivaled a save percentage of .920 in all three years, maxing out with 18 wins and an incredible .939 save percentage in 34 games in his final year.

The trio of strong years at the University of Maine vindicated Boston’s 2017 fourth-round selection of Swayman in a big way. He was drafted after – go figure – a strong year in the USHL, though his .914 save percentage would be overshadowed by a losing 7-18-3 record. It was a rare down year for the Sioux City Musketeers, coming off a year as the Clark Cup runner-ups. But Swayman persevered, ultimately landing at pick 111 in the draft – just one pick after the Toronto Maple Leafs selected goaltender Ian Scott.

Now, seven years later, Swayman is the unrivaled starter in Boston. He’ll prepare for north of 60 games this season – assuming his delayed start to the year doesn’t hold him up – while Boston turns their attention towards the much tougher question of who should back him up. Korpisalo is certainly the de facto choice, largely thanks to the $3MM cap hit he carries through the next four seasons. Korpisalo only received two preseason appearances, allowing three goals on 47 shots – good for a .936 save percentage. That’s certainly stout, but he’ll face plenty of pressure from reigning AHL starter Brandon Bussi, who saved 81 of the 90 (.900) shots he faced through four preseason appearances. Bussi posted a .913 in 41 AHL games last year – his first time dipping below .920 since turning pro in 2021. At the very least, his continued performances in preseason will earn him the edge over Michael DiPietro for the starting role in Providence.

Boston’s goaltending strength once again runs through the depths of the roster, with their franchise goaltender now locked up for the foreseeable future. The Bruins will carry a projected $386.67K of cap space into the new season – likely enough to require one more money-clearing move. They’ll look to rejoin the race for best in the East. Next summer will prove much less stressful, with team captain Brad Marchand the only high-money name in need of a new deal.

Latest On Jeremy Swayman

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After Bruins president Cam Neely said Monday that they’d offered an eight-year, $64MM deal to RFA goaltender Jeremy Swayman that he didn’t accept, Swayman’s agent, SPM Sports’ Lewis Gross, said they’d never received that offer.

According to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, Swayman’s camp is telling the truth. The $64MM figure referenced by Neely was a slight exaggeration – the highest total value Boston has offered on an eight-year deal is $62.4MM, Seravalli reports. That’s a cap hit of $7.8MM compared to the $8MM implied by Neely.

Still, that figure more than bridges the halfway point in negotiations. Seravalli adds that since the two sides have zeroed in on a maximum-term contract, the Bruins have held strong at a $52MM total value with a $6.5MM AAV, while Swayman’s representation wants a $68MM deal with an $8.5MM AAV.

“[The Bruins] probably think, ’Hey, we’ve moved a ton, now it’s your turn,’ and the fact that hasn’t happened apparently has them frustrated,” Seravalli said on Daily Faceoff’s Morning Cuppa Hockey show on Tuesday.

There’s no indication that a smaller gap of $700K per season will soon be bridged. Gross said in yesterday’s statement that Neely’s comment “was extremely unfair to Jeremy” and that they “will take a few days to discuss where we go from here.” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery also said that he fully anticipates Joonas Korpisalo being Boston’s opening night starter against the Panthers on Oct. 8.

Swayman has until Dec. 1 to sign a contract to be eligible to play this season. There’s no indication either side has turned their focus toward examining trade options regarding his signing rights, but the longer this goes without any movement, the possibility rises.

Swayman, 26 in November, finished seventh in Vezina Trophy voting last season after recording a 25-10-8 record with a .916 SV% and 2.53 GAA in 44 appearances.

Snapshots: Swayman, Benn, Gelinas, Olympics

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Earlier today, Bruins president Cam Neely implied that the team had made a $64MM offer to restricted free agent goaltender Jeremy Swayman in an effort to get a deal done.  It would appear that this is the first that Swayman’s camp has heard of it.  SPM Sports released the following statement from Swayman’s agent Lewis Gross via various social media platforms:

Normally, I do not release statements or discuss negotiations through the media.  However, in this case, I feel I need to defend my client. At today’s press conference, $64 million was referenced. This was the first time that number was discussed in our negotiations. Prior to the press conference, no offer was made reaching that level.

We are extremely disappointed. This was not fair to Jeremy. We will take a few days to discuss where we go from here.

Earlier today, it was revealed that newly-acquired backup Joonas Korpisalo would be their opening-night starter.  Between that and now Swayman’s camp saying that they’ll take a few days to discuss next steps, it’s fair to say that this contract isn’t getting resolved for a little while longer.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • The Stars won’t discuss a new contract in-season with captain Jamie Benn, relays Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas Morning News. Don’t interpret that as a sign that one of the sides doesn’t want to do something as GM Jim Nill indicated he approached Benn to see what he wanted to do while making it clear that he sees a spot for the veteran as long as he’s in charge.  However, Benn decided he wants to wait until after the season for any discussions.  The 35-year-old has spent his entire 15-year career in Dallas, amassing over 900 points including 60 in 82 games last season.
  • Veteran defenseman Eric Gelinas has decided to try to give it another go in North America. The AHL’s Laval Rocket announced (Twitter link) that they have invited the 33-year-old to their training camp.  Gelinas has 189 career NHL appearances under his belt, the last of which came in 2016-17.  He spent the following year in Laval before bouncing around, seeing time in Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, and nine games with AHL Chicago over the last six seasons.
  • The IIHF announced that they hope to add a three-on-three ice hockey tournament to the 2030 Olympics for both men’s and women’s hockey. These events would not replace the existing tournaments but would merely add to the sport’s representation, similar to three-on-three basketball at the recently-ended Summer Games.  A decision on whether those events will be added is expected in March.

Bruins Have Offered Jeremy Swayman $64MM Contract

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The Bruins have offered RFA netminder Jeremy Swayman a contract totaling $64MM in value, team president Cam Neely told reporters Monday (via 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Ty Anderson). He didn’t confirm the length of the agreement, but it’s fair to assume he was referring to an eight-year deal with an $8MM cap hit.

“I’d have 64 million reasons why I’d be playing right now,” Neely said in regard to Swayman’s continued absence. He added that Swayman had “flat out” told the club he wanted to remain in Boston, which aligns with a report from The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa earlier Monday.

For now, all signs point to Swayman remaining unsigned when the Bruins turn in their opening night roster next week. General manager Don Sweeney said it’s “unlikely” Swayman will be ready to go for their regular-season opener, with head coach Jim Montgomery confirming that Joonas Korpisalo is slated to be their starter against the Panthers on Oct. 8 after a strong camp showing (per The Boston Globe’s Conor Ryan).

Swayman, 27, has been vocal this summer about his desire to set a bar for future goalie contracts after being handed a one-year, $3.475MM contract in arbitration in the summer of 2023. He’s had impeccable career numbers – a .919 regular-season SV% and a .922 playoff SV% – but has never started more than 45 games in a season.

He and Linus Ullmark, who the Bruins traded to the Senators at the beginning of the summer to give Swayman the undisputed starter’s crease, have been the backbone of Boston’s success over the past couple of seasons. Their importance was especially evident last year, posting a combined .915 SV% to keep the Bruins afloat in the Atlantic Division despite owning subpar 5-on-5 possession metrics across the board.

If he remains unsigned for a significant chunk of the season, it puts Boston in a tricky spot with Korpisalo. While the team is projecting confidence after a strong preseason showing, the 30-year-old is coming off a disastrous 2023-24 campaign with Ottawa that saw him post a .890 SV% and 3.27 GAA in 50 appearances. The difference in play over the first two months of the year could be enough to cost the Bruins a playoff spot in a competitive Atlantic field. Swayman has until Dec. 1 to sign a contract to be eligible to play this season.

Atlantic Notes: Maple Leafs Injuries, Swayman, Pitlick, Mersch

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Injured Maple Leafs Connor Dewar, Jani Hakanpää, Calle Järnkrok, and John Tavares all skated during practice Monday, albeit in non-contact jerseys on a separate sheet of ice away from the main group (via TSN’s Mark Masters).

Dewar and Hakanpää are recovering from shoulder and knee injuries dating back to the end of last season, while Järnkrok and Tavares are dealing with lower-body injuries sustained during preseason. None of their availabilities for opening night have been confirmed, although especially in Dewar and Hakanpää’s case, the fact they’re skating means their absences shouldn’t stretch too far past the start of the regular season if they’re unable to go. Järnkrok and Tavares remain listed as day-to-day.

That could certainly throw a wrench into the Leafs’ opening night roster if neither Dewar nor Hakanpää will be out long enough to be eligible to land on long-term injured reserve. Toronto is $1.07MM over the salary cap with a full projected roster, per PuckPedia, but could easily become compliant by waiving defenseman Conor Timmins and assigning him to the minors. That doesn’t leave enough room to sign either Steven Lorentz or Max Pacioretty to league-minimum contracts off their PTOs, though.

Head coach Craig Berube said later Monday that he expects Järnkrok and Tavares to take part in the next practice, so their availability for the start of the season should be considered likely at worst (via The Hockey News’ David Alter).

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • There’s still no end in sight to the contract negotiation stalemate between the Bruins and restricted free agent netminder Jeremy Swayman. But when the end arrives, all signs still point to the goalie staying in Boston. Neither side has any interest in starting up preliminary trade talks for his signing rights, even amid an unusually difficult set of talks, The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa relays. “Swayman wants to be a Bruin. The feeling is mutual,” he wrote.
  • Still with Boston, veteran winger Tyler Pitlick will attend their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins’, training camp on a PTO, reports the New England Hockey Journal’s Mark Divver. It’s quite a steep fall down the hockey ladder for the 32-year-old who appeared in 34 games with the Rangers last season on a one-way deal before landing on waivers in February and spending the rest of the season with AHL Hartford. Pitlick, a bottom-six defensive presence for most of his 10-year, 420-game career, was limited to four points with the Rangers and seven points in 22 games with Hartford last year.
  • Former Kings forward and longtime Sabres depth piece Michael Mersch announced his retirement Monday. The 31-year-old had spent the last four seasons with Buffalo’s AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, serving as captain since 2021. A fourth-round pick of Los Angeles in 2011, Mersch posted 188 goals, 213 assists, and 401 points in 597 AHL games in parts of 11 seasons with the Kings’, Sabres’, and Stars’ affiliates. He played 17 NHL games, all with Los Angeles in the 2015-16 campaign, recording a goal and two assists.

LeBrun’s Latest: Swayman, Kessel, Shattenkirk, Ullmark, Draft

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The Bruins and RFA netminder Jeremy Swayman are only discussing long-term contract options at this late stage in negotiations, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic wrote Tuesday. But beyond that, there’s still a sizeable gap between the two sides in desired AAV/cap hit, and there’s no sign of movement with under two weeks to go until Boston’s regular-season opener.

If it gets done before the season, it’ll likely be with little time to spare before Oct. 8, LeBrun writes. Swayman isn’t expected to participate in the remainder of the preseason at all.

That leaves plenty of opportunity in the run-up for Joonas Korpisalo, who’s looked decent early on in camp after struggling to the tune of a .890 SV% in 55 appearances with the Senators last season. Acquired in the Linus Ullmark swap to be Swayman’s backup, he’ll be thrust back into a No. 1 role if the contract stalemate extends into the regular season.

There’s more from LeBrun:

  • Over a week into training camps and two weeks after Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated he was still hoping to catch on, free agent winger Phil Kessel still isn’t considering retirement, LeBrun said. Teams can still sign players to professional tryouts, and while it’s rare to do so after the start of camp, it does happen. “A couple of teams” have stayed in contact with Kessel’s camp while waiting to see how some early training camp battles played out, so there could be some movement there in the coming days. “He’s also not begging for a job, but he genuinely believes he can still help someone,” LeBrun wrote.
  • Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk finds himself in a similar situation, LeBrun said, although he at least logged NHL minutes last year. In fact, he did fairly well with the Bruins, posting 24 points and a -2 rating in 64 contests while averaging 15:47 per game. “I would imagine Shattenkirk will land somewhere on the cheap over the next few weeks,” LeBrun said, indicating Shattenkirk could remain unsigned past opening night but sign somewhere quickly if an early-season injury arises.
  • It’s also status quo between Ullmark and his new home in Ottawa on a lack of extension talks, LeBrun relays from colleague Chris Johnston on Tuesday’s edition of Insider Trading. “GM Steve Staios wants to give Ullmark time to get as excited about the team and city as the organization is already about having him in the fold,” wrote LeBrun.
  • There were some slight rumblings that the NHL’s general managers would reverse their October 2023 vote to decentralize the league’s entry draft starting in 2025 after the success of the 2024 event in Vegas at Sphere. Those rumblings will go unfulfilled; as the league told LeBrun, “At the request of a large majority of clubs, it is moving forward with plans for a decentralized draft for June 2025.” Prospects will still attend an event, but team staff won’t be traveling.

Bruins Notes: Swayman, Montgomery, Poitras

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Bruins RFA netminder Jeremy Swayman won’t be around the team to kick off training camp while he’s still waiting for a new contract, general manager Don Sweeney told reporters today (via Scott McLaughlin of WEEI).

There’s nothing stopping the Bruins and Swayman from agreeing to a tryout and having him take reps in camp while continuing contract negotiations. That’s the approach the Blues are taking with unsigned RFA forward Nikita Alexandrov, for example. But it isn’t in the cards here.

Sweeney said he’s “disappointed” there’s still no resolution to the contract stalemate, and he wouldn’t go so far as to say an agreement was imminent, either. The GM only said he was “optimistic” a deal would get done by the Dec. 1 RFA signing deadline, per McLaughlin.

Other updates from Sweeney as camp opens Wednesday:

  • The Bruins have begun initial extension talks with head coach Jim Montgomery, Sweeney said (via Conor Ryan of The Boston Globe). He’s entering the final season of his reported three-year, $6MM deal, which he signed to take over as Boston’s bench boss in July 2022. He’s been an impeccable regular-season hire, leading them to a league-best 112-32-20 record (.744%) since landing behind the bench, but he’s 9-11 in 20 playoff games for Boston.
  • Sophomore forward Matthew Poitras is fully cleared after shoulder surgery ended his rookie campaign in February, Sweeney confirmed (via Ryan). They’ll try him at both center and wing during training camp after he played mostly down the middle last season. A shift to wing could open up an opportunity for him to play higher up in the lineup, potentially alongside Charlie Coyle and Brad Marchand on the team’s second line. The 2022 second-round pick had 15 points (5 G, 10 A) in 33 games last season with a +4 rating while averaging 13:24 per game, posting good possession metrics but struggling in the dot with a 43.7 FOW%.

Snapshots: CHL/NTDP, Brind’Amour, Bruins

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The Canadian Hockey League’s top draft-eligible players will take on the U.S. National Development Team’s U-18 tier for the first time this November, the junior league announced Tuesday (via TSN). The pair of contests, which will take place in London and Oshawa, Ontario, on Nov. 26 and Nov. 27, will be the first installment in an annual “CHL-USA Prospects Challenge.”

It’ll run for at least three years, with sites rotating between OHL, QMJHL, and WHL hosts. The CHL and NTDP will have the opportunity to re-up the initial deal securing the event in 2027.

It will serve the purpose of an early-season showcase for draft-eligible talent, so don’t expect to see CHL superstars coming back for their post-draft seasons or beyond. The NHL’s Central Scouting Bureau will select most of the CHL’s roster for the series, Darren Dreger of TSN reports.

Thus, this year’s event will be headlined by 2025 draft-eligible talent. The rosters will likely include forwards Porter Martone, Michael Misa, and Roger McQueen as the CHL’s most notable names, and center William Moore and defensemen Logan Hensler and Charlie Trethewey should highlight the U.S. squad.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Forward Skyler Brind’Amour is reportedly planning to terminate his AHL contract with the Charlotte Checkers and sign a deal with the Carolina Hurricanes. The move – which is not yet official – was first reported by AHL.com’s Tony Androckitis and seconded by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Brind’Amour played in his rookie AHL season with the Checkers last year, netting eight points in 54 games. He took the step to the pros after four years with Quinnipiac University, where he supported the school’s 2023 National Championship win. He ended his collegiate career with 76 points in 145 games. He’ll look to rediscover that production in the Hurricanes organization, likely set on a role with the Chicago Wolves – who Carolina announced an affiliation agreement with in May.
  • The Boston Bruins have scheduled a press conference for 12 P.M ET tomorrow, where both head coach Jim Montgomery and general manager Don Sweeney will speak with media. They’ll most likely be speaking on the team’s first day of training camp, though Ty Anderson of Boston radio outlet 98.5 The Sports Hub reports that contract talks are picking up with RFA goaltender Jeremy Swayman. Swayman was left off of Boston’s initial training camp roster as he continues a contract standoff. He’ll be in for a major role when he does sign, with Boston dealing Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators earlier this summer.

Bruins Notes: Swayman, PTOs, Spicer

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The Boston Bruins are planning to enter training camp without a confirmed starter, with general manager Don Sweeney sharing that there are still no updates on a new deal – only telling Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe, “We’ll talk [with Swayman] next week.” Boston begins their training camp on September 18th and will be doing so with Joonas Korpisalo as their top netminder, pending a sudden change.

That’s certainly not what the team could have planned when they traded former Vezina Trophy-winner Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators, clearing a path for Swayman to finally take on the starting role. The two have split time for the last three seasons, with Swayman managing a dazzling .919 save percentage in 132 games over the stretch. He played in a career-high 44 games last season but still sits without a legitimate test in a starting role. That’s likely one of, if not thee, biggest pieces holding up negotiations – though a rumored high asking price and lack of comparable contracts don’t make matters easier.

Other notes out of Boston:

  • Sweeney also shared with NHL.com’s Mark Divver that the team isn’t expecting to sign any more PTOs, though he didn’t rule them out entirely. That would leave former Stanley Cup-winner Tyler Johnson as the team’s only try-out this camp, potentially opening more opportunity for fringe players like Justin Brazeau, John Beecher, and John Farinacci to get noticed. The quartet will are a part of a crowded competition for ice-time in Boston’s bottom-six, after the team lost an endless list of depth pieces this summer.
  • Bruins prospect Cole Spicer took the ice with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints on Saturday night, making his first appearance since stating that he’d be stepping away from the game indefinitely for personal reasons. Spicer was listed as the Saints’ top-line center in Dubuque’s final game of the pre-season. He’s spent the last two seasons with the University of Minnesota-Duluth, recording a measly 15 points in 49 appearances. A return to the USHL would make Spicer one of the league’s older players, though it could also mark a necessary change of scenery after two down years. The feisty centerman will be one to watch as the season rolls around, as he looks to gather his footing in the hockey world and begin fighting his way up the Bruins organization.

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