Don Sweeney Confirms Jim Montgomery-Bruins Extension Talks

Jeremy Swayman's potential contract extension was one of the biggest storylines for the Bruins, but other deals also can be done.

Brad Marchand enters the 2024-25 season on the final year of his contract, and the Boston captain said at captains' practice that he did not want to disclose too much to the media and wished to keep discussions behind closed doors.

Jim Montgomery also enters the 2024-25 season in the final year of his contract, and the organization has been in talks with the head coach, too.

"There has been talks, but I think Monty -- well, I'm not going to speak for him, but I'm gonna guess he would take Brad's line of keeping that between us," Don Sweeney told reporters Wednesday, as seen on NESN.

The behind-the-scenes discussions could be a distraction to the team as it began training camp Wednesday, but that wasn't something Montgomery would allow to happen.

"I don't think it would affect me, just being honest," Montgomery told reporters when asked how his contract status affects him and the team, as seen on NESN. "I love being a Bruin. I think I'm very fortunate to be the head coach of the Boston Bruins. My focus when I am (with) the Boston Bruins is staying in the present and getting better every day. I know it sounds cliché, but I can't allow myself to think about the future because I'd be a little bit of a hypocrite asking our players to stay in the moment. I have to stay in the moment. That's the way I look at things. It doesn't matter if I had an eight-year contract or a one-day contract. That's the way I proceed. That's my process."

Montgomery went 112-32-20 in his first two seasons with the Bruins. He helped the B's win the Presidents' Trophy in his first season, which earned him the Jack Adams Award.

Sweeney expressed optimism that a deal with Swayman could be reached before the Dec. 1 deadline, and that deal could be the first step toward locking up core pieces on the ice and on the bench.