We’re three weeks away from the Boston Bruins’ first preseason recreation towards the New York Rangers at TD Backyard, and Jeremy Swayman remains to be a restricted free agent. Each side have expressed confidence {that a} deal will get completed forward of the season, and he participated within the Bruins’ captain’s apply earlier this week. That mentioned, it’s a main space of concern. If Swayman had been to carry out to start the season, the Bruins can 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 akin 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 group. They obtained three stable seasons of play from Value after he signed, nonetheless, accidents have held him again since. He has not performed a recreation for the group since April, 2022, and his return just isn’t in sight.
This contract is probably going within the ballpark of what Swayman will obtain in time period, nonetheless, if the Bruins had been at hand him a deal the identical size as Value’s, they need to really feel higher in regards to the doubtless consequence. Value was 30 years previous 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 underneath his belt. The Bruins ought to be ok with his longevity, as he doubtless 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 mean 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 in the intervening time. Vasilevskiy was coming off a stellar 2018-19 season the place he received the Vezina Trophy and, like Swayman, he entered negotiations at 25 years previous. The 2 sides landed on an eight-year contract price $76 million for an AAV of $9.5 million.
Associated: Lightning Want Vasilevskiy to Rebound Following Profession-Worst Season
This deal has aged fantastically 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 for the reason that Los Angeles Kings’ Jonathan Fast in 2012.
WEEI’s Wealthy Keefe reported that Swayman was wanting for an AAV of $10 million, which is north of what Vasilevskiy obtained in 2019. NHL insider Frank Seravalli reported on a latest look on Sportsnet’s The Massive Present with Rusic and Rose, nonetheless, that Swayman was on the lookout for someplace round $8 million whereas the Bruins had been within the low $6-million vary. Swayman has not received a Vezina, and he doesn’t have the accolades Vasilevskiy had when he entered negotiations in 2019. Nevertheless, it appears doubtless there’s an NHL group on the market that might fortunately give him a contract within the ballpark of $8 million yearly. With that in thoughts, the Bruins will doubtless want to fulfill him near that quantity in the event that they hope to get a long-term deal completed forward of the season.
Contract Comparisons
It appears each Swayman and the Bruins really feel assured they may get a deal completed 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 akin 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 top-of-the-line goalies within the NHL over the approaching years.
