Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman Holds ‘No Ill Will’ After Arbitration

BRIGHTON, Mass. — Jeremy Swayman holds no “ill will” toward the Boston Bruins after agreeing to a new deal.

You might think that’s obvious, considering the B’s will pay him around $3.5 million next season, but the process for both sides to come to that agreement wasn’t an easy one.

The Bruins and Swayman had to go to arbitration to agree to that figure, which is a process that can rub some people the wrong way. The NHL’s arbitration process calls for the player and the team to present a salary for the upcoming season to a neutral third party. The two sides will argue their case to the arbitrator, with a determination coming within 48 hours.

It’s rare that things get that far, as the two sides can negotiate all the way up to their scheduled hearings, but things did for Boston and its goalie.

“It wasn’t a process that I wanted to go through, but I understand that it’s a business,” Swayman said Tuesday at Warrior Ice Arena. “In the end, I’m grateful that I went through it. … The biggest thing was living day by day and understanding that what you hear might not be the truth at all times. Again, it’s a business and I wanted to make sure I was gonna be able to attack with a good mindset and make sure at the end of the day I was doing everything I could do to be a Boston Bruin.”

“There’s no ill will on the process because I understand I’m not the first player to go through it and I’m not the last.”

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Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman on arbitration

Things have gotten nasty between teams and players in the past. The Vancouver Canucks’ lawyer once called Brendan Morrison a “mouse” compared to his “elephant” linemates. Mike Milbury, in his time as general manager of the New York Islanders, reportedly once made his goaltender cry.

It’s clear things were much smoother for Swayman and the Bruins, though.

“I’m here today and I am a Boston Bruin and I couldn’t be happier,” Swayman said. “There’s no ill will on the process because I understand I’m not the first player to go through it and I’m not the last, but I definitely wish it on any of my friends and teammates moving forward and I don’t want to do it ever again. I’m grateful I went through it. I’m glad we got it done, because I’m a Boston Bruin at the end of the day.”

Swayman will return to his cushy role as one-half of the Bruins’ dynamic duo in net with Linus Ullmark. He’ll look to build on a year where he posted a 2.27 goals against average and .920 save percentage, winning 24-of-34 starts on his way to the William M. Jennings Trophy.