Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney dodges Jeremy Swayman contract question

We are three days away from the Boston Bruins beginning training camp at Warrior Ice Arena for the 2024-25 season. GM Don Sweeney has one bit of business to do ahead Wednesday and that's sign goalie Jeremy Swayman to a new contract.

It has not been a good summer for Swayman or the Bruins when it comes to getting a contract done after trading Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators back in June. They did it without a deal in place for Swayman and took a chance that something would be done by now. It hasn't happened and now it appears that the Alaska native might not be on the ice on Wednesday.

Bruins preparing to begin training camp without Jeremy Swayman

Saturday at the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo, the young Bruins lost 4-3 to the Columbus Blue Jackets. That was not the big story to come out of the day as Boston Globe Bruins beat reporter Kevin Paul Dupont spoke with Sweeney in Western New York and Swayman's contract situation came up.

“Appreciate you asking,” Sweeney said. "Kick it down the road. We’ll talk next week.” 

Of course, next week could mean Monday night or Tuesday when the Black and Gold prospects return from Buffalo, but the closer to Wednesday morning we get, the more concerning it's getting. In what seemed like a positive move over the summer, neither Swayman nor the Bruins filed for arbitration, something was ugly last summer before he was awarded a one-year, $3.475 million.

Swayman has been outspoken about his contract this summer, but he has never mentioned a number, something that has been reported by several reports. You get the feeling that Sweeney and the front office are hesitant to give their top netminder a big deal as he has yet to shoulder the load as a No. 1 through an 82-game season.

Swayman and the Bruins have until Dec. 1 to work out a contract before he becomes ineligible to play for the remainder of the season and the playoffs. Again, being positive, you would think a deal is struck between both sides before opening night in Florida on Oct. 8.