Report: Jeremy Swayman’s Negotiations Set to Change Positional Perception
As the contract standoff between Jeremy Swayman and the Boston Bruins drags on, some insiders believe the upcoming resolution could mark a turning point in how NHL goaltenders are valued. With Swayman seeking a deal of at least $64 total million and potentially more than $8.5 million per year, this situation may influence the future of goalie contracts across the league depending on the final figures.
Swayman’s development into Boston’s number-one goaltender and his refusal to accept a below-market contract has led to this moment, with the netminder’s leverage helped by the Bruins’ trade of Linus Ullmark earlier in the offseason. After the Bruins moved on from Linus Ullmark, they effectively signaled their commitment to Swayman. However, as TSN’s Chris Johnston pointed out appearing on Toronto Radio, the hesitation to pay goalies based on potential, unlike other positions, remains a sticking point.
“Look at how many young players in the league who have played less than 100 games and are getting eight-year deals elsewhere,” Johnston said. “We’re saying, ‘Oh, look, they’re buying all the upside.’
“It just doesn’t get done with goaltenders as often. But I think Swayman is of a position he doesn’t feel he should have to wait by doing a shorter-term deal now before getting that kind of payday.” Johnston was not alone in this sentiment. Fellow NHL analyst Jamie McLennan weighed in, contrasting how teams are often willing to pay forwards and defensemen based on potential but show reluctance when it comes to goaltenders. “You’ll give a guy who got 35 goals nine or nine and a half million with no problem,” McLennan said. “But with goalies, it’s like, ‘You’re lucky to get $8 million.’
“And that’s a problem.” As the insiders suggested, and if Swayman ends up getting the contract he’s seemingly seeking, it’s possible the goalie market gets reset and the perception of the position and its value takes a sudden change. In that case, Swayman could be the one to reset the market in terms of paying goalies for potential, not just performance and experience.
