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"Catastrophic" Bruins-Swayman negotiations may end up in trade, opines Paul Bissonnette
Contract negotiations between the Boston Bruins and restricted free agent goaltender Jeremy Swayman have taken a concerning turn, according to former NHL player Paul Bissonnette.
Speaking on the "Spittin' Chiclets" podcast, Bissonnette said the lack of progress and apparent disagreement over whether an offer was even made could lead to Swayman being traded away from the Bruins.
Bissonnette said:
"If they would have handled this appropriately and went over and said, 'Here's an offer and maybe even at that case could have said seven-time $7.75M, this is all we have, but you're our guy, you're our goalie for the future, this is eight years'.
“They never did that and now, hearing that offer never came in, is just catastrophic in my opinion to the point where I actually think that there's a trade that is going to happen as a result from this," he added.
On Monday, Boston President Cam Neely claimed the team offered Swayman a $64 million contract. However, Swayman’s agent later disputed that, saying no formal offer was ever made. This fundamental disagreement over whether an offer was even made suggests a complete miscommunication between both parties.
In Bissonnette’s view, this impasse means a Swayman trade is now a real possibility.
Elliotte Friedman speculates on Jeremy Swayman's future with Boston Bruins
According to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, Swayman wants to remain in Boston but is seeking a certain contract value that the Bruins have been unwilling to meet. This has led to a contractual impasse between the two sides (via Sportsnet.com):
"During this pause, he must ask himself, 'Can I move past the bitterness of this negotiation?' If the answer is yes, he can be a Bruin. An excellent one. If the answer is no, he will flourish somewhere else," Friedman said.
Friedman also noted that Swayman has the talent and temperament to continue as Boston's starting goalie if he does elect to stay. However, if Swayman decides the contract situation has damaged the relationship beyond repair, he will likely flourish elsewhere given his talent and goaltending abilities.
Joonas Korpisalo is likely to start in the season opener against the Florida Panthers, as revealed by Boston coach Jim Montgomery in a press conference on Monday.
Do you think Jeremy Swayman will stay a Boston Bruin? Should he leave for pastures new instead? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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