We’re three weeks away from the Boston Bruins’ first preseason sport towards the New York Rangers at TD Backyard, and Jeremy Swayman continues to be a restricted free agent. Either side have expressed confidence {that a} deal will get executed forward of the season, and he participated within the Bruins’ captain’s observe earlier this week. That stated, it’s a main space of concern. If Swayman have been to carry out to start the season, the Bruins could be with out each of their Vezina-Trophy-caliber netminders from a season in the past. Let’s study a few contracts which may be corresponding to what Swayman could obtain when he ultimately places pen to paper.
2017: Carey Value
Carey Value signed a monstrous contract to stick with the Montreal Canadiens in 2017, receiving $84 million over eight years. The deal has aged like milk for the crew. They acquired three stable seasons of play from Value after he signed, nonetheless, accidents have held him again since. He has not performed a sport for the crew since April, 2022, and his return shouldn’t be in sight.
This contract is probably going within the ballpark of what Swayman will obtain in time period, nonetheless, if the Bruins have been at hand him a deal the identical size as Value’s, they need to really feel higher in regards to the probably consequence. Value was 30 years outdated when his deal was signed, and he had already began 500-plus NHL video games. Swayman is simply 25 and has solely 132 NHL begins below his belt. The Bruins ought to be ok with his longevity, as he probably has much more left within the tank than Value did in 2018. On high of that, he’s unlikely to obtain a contract carrying a median annual worth (AAV) of greater than $10 million just like the Canadiens gave to Value.
2019: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Andrei Vasilevskiy’s 2019 contract is probably going the closest one-to-one comparability we will make to the state of affairs Swayman and the Bruins discover themselves in for the time being. Vasilevskiy was coming off a stellar 2018-19 season the place he gained the Vezina Trophy and, like Swayman, he entered negotiations at 25 years outdated. The 2 sides landed on an eight-year contract value $76 million for an AAV of $9.5 million.
Associated: Lightning Want Vasilevskiy to Rebound Following Profession-Worst Season
This deal has aged superbly for the Lightning. Vasilevskiy led the Bolts to the Stanley Cup in every of the three years following the signing of his deal, successful it in 2020 and 2021. He was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy for the league’s most beneficial participant on the conclusion of the 2021 playoffs, turning into the primary goalie to take action because the Los Angeles Kings’ Jonathan Fast in 2012.
WEEI’s Wealthy Keefe reported that Swayman was trying for an AAV of $10 million, which is north of what Vasilevskiy acquired in 2019. NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported on a current look on Sportsnet’s The Huge Present with Rusic and Rose, nonetheless, that Swayman was searching for someplace round $8 million whereas the Bruins have been within the low $6-million vary. Swayman has not gained a Vezina, and he doesn’t have the accolades Vasilevskiy had when he entered negotiations in 2019. Nonetheless, it appears probably there’s an NHL crew on the market that may fortunately give him a contract within the ballpark of $8 million yearly. With that in thoughts, the Bruins will probably want to satisfy him near that quantity in the event that they hope to get a long-term deal executed forward of the season.
Contract Comparisons
It appears each Swayman and the Bruins really feel assured they are going to get a deal executed forward of the season. What that deal will seem like is to be decided. Swayman’s camp is probably going pointing to Vasilevskiy’s deal as a corresponding to work off of, even when they’re asking for a decrease AAV. Regardless, the Bruins ought to be ok with signing Swayman to a long-term deal, as he’s coming into his prime and is ready to be the most effective goalies within the NHL over the approaching years.
