Brad Marchand preaches patience amid Jeremy Swayman contract drama
"Eventually a deal is going to get done and everyone's going to move on and be fine."
As Jim Montgomery and Boston’s coaching staff try to get the current roster up to speed before Oct. 8, most of the focus on the Bruins revolves around the one lineup regular not on the ice in Jeremy Swayman.
The Bruins and Swayman have still not come to terms on a new contract at this stage of the preseason, with Montgomery already declaring veteran Joonas Korpisalo as Boston’s starting netminder against the Panthers next week.
What has already been a contentious, drawn-out negotiation between the Bruins and Swayman’s camp reached a boiling point on Monday.
Just hours after Bruins president Cam Neely suggested that the Bruins had offered Swayman a $64 million contract, Swayman’s agent — Lewis Gross — released a statement pushing back against that assertion, noting that no offer of that dollar amount was made “prior to the press conference.”
“We are extremely disappointed,” Gross said in his statement. “This was not fair to Jeremy. We will take a few days to discuss where we go from here.”
Monday’s news seemingly represents a severe setback for all parties involved when it comes to bridging the gap on a new deal for the 25-year-old goalie.
But amid fears of Swayman either not putting pen to paper on a deal all season or outright requesting a trade, Bruins captain Brad Marchand tried to lower the temperature on Tuesday.
“I wouldn’t say it’s hard to keep it out of the room,” Marchand said of the ongoing drama between Swayman and the Bruins. “Even today and after, there’s not a whole lot of talk about it. We all understand the situation that the team and Sway are in. This is part of the game. It’s part of the business.
“It’s a part that nobody enjoys. And eventually, a deal is going to get done and everyone’s going to move on and be fine. One of the biggest things is the stress and pressure of when these negotiations are going on. … Once you sign, there’s so much weight that gets lifted off, not just the player’s shoulders, but the team. And then it’s just all about coming together and finding a way to win and building towards that goal.”
On Tuesday, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli noted on the “Morning Cuppa Hockey” podcast that the Bruins offered Swayman an eight-year contract with an average annual value of $7.8 million. That would equate out to $62.4 million — below the $64 million Neely seemed to suggest on Monday.
Given Gross’ statement, the Bruins could have eight years and $64 million now on the table following Monday’s press conference. But Seravalli added that Swayman and his camp are looking for a deal around $8.5 million per year.
“[Swayman and Gross] are very disappointed in what Neely said,” Seravalli said. “I think if you look at it from both sides’ perspectives … this really seemed like a tactical error by the Bruins.
“zThis felt like a team that was cracking under the weight of probably not having their future No. 1 in net to start the season. … My understanding is that the Bruins have offered eight years x $7.8 million, which is $62.4 [million]. … I think the Swayman camp has been asking for eight [years] x $8.5 million, which is $68 million, and the Bruins were somewhere close to $6.5 [million].
“So, the Bruins have gone from $6.5 to $7.8 [million, they feel like they’ve moved a lot. .. They probably think, “Hey, we’ve moved a ton, now it’s your turn,” and the fact that hasn’t happened apparently has them frustrated.”
As both the Bruins and Swayman’s group determine the next steps in their precarious contract talks, Marchand added that he’s looking forward to the promising goalie back in Boston’s dressing room.
“It’s tough because we all care about Sway,” Marchand said. “We want to see him back. But again, it’s part of the business. … I talk to Sway. I mean, he’s a very competitive kid. He’s very dedicated.
“He’s going to do what he has to do to be prepared and come back in the best shape he possibly can. He has that chip on his shoulder that he’s going to compete and get prepared. At the same time, it’s hard to replicate NHL reps, especially this time of year. So we’re looking forward to the day he gets back.”
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