Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman Offers Critical Insight Into Contract Situation

Bruins star goaltender Jeremy Swayman remains an unsigned, restricted free agent. He and the historic franchise are continuing to work towards a long-term contract extension almost two months into free agency.

Swayman provided critical insight into his contract situation on Monday when he joined the “Shut Up Marc Podcast” and was probed about the negotiation process.

“If you were to ask me that same question a year ago, I would answer truthfully,” Swayman told host Marc Lewis. ” And I would say, ‘It’s scary. It’s a lot of resentment towards people that want you to succeed.’ And when you’re not being compensated for your endless efforts and doing what you do best, it’s a nerve-wracking feeling because it’s your family that you’re fighting for.”

Last season, Swayman opted for arbitration, which led to the 25-year-old netminder signing a one-year, $3.475 million deal. This year, neither Swayman nor the Bruins filed for arbitration, which allowed the two sides to continue negotiating.

“For the answer that I’m going to give you this year is that I’ve educated myself and that I understand the business side of it all, and it’s given me a complete new mindset of understanding the business and how to react to it. I understand the cap is going up and where it will be in years. I understand my comparables and how I can’t ruin the goalie market for other guys that are going to be in my shoes down the line.”

Swayman added that he studied business at the University of Maine and is continuing his education at Stanford as part of the NHLPA.

“I know that these experiences I’m doing now are going to help me post-career when I want to be a business manager,” he said. “… I think 10-year-old Jeremy Swayman didn’t think in a million years that he’d be in this position he’s in and the city he’s in, and the amount of gratitude that I have to be in this situation completely covers up the negative side of everything. I couldn’t be happier to be in this situation. At the end of the day, I’m stopping pucks for the Boston Bruins.”