BOSTON -- Jeremy Swayman will not report to the Boston Bruins until the restricted free agent goalie has a new contract, general manager Don Sweeney said Wednesday.
"He has chosen to wait, and rightfully so, until a contract is settled," Sweeney said. "It's our intention to continue to negotiate a contract. I'm disappointed that when you set things as a priority in the general manager spot that you do your best to try and accomplish that and I haven't been able to do that yet."
The Bruins open the 2024-25 season at the Florida Panthers on Oct. 8. If Swayman is not signed to a contract by Dec. 1, he cannot play this season.
Swayman is coming off a one-year, $3.475 million contract that he was awarded by an independent arbitrator on Aug. 1, 2023.
"At the end of the day I'm optimistic because I think we'll find a landing spot before December 1st," Sweeney said.
Swayman is expected to be the Bruins' starting goalie after splitting time with Linus Ullmark the past two seasons. The two helped Boston win the William M. Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the NHL in 2022-23 (177, including shootout deciding goals), 36 ahead of the next closest team, the Carolina Hurricanes (213 goals allowed). That season, the Bruins set NHL single-season records for wins (65) and points (135).
In the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, Swayman took control of the net, starting 12 consecutive games and helping the Bruins make it to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the eventual champion Panthers. He had a 2.15 goals-against average and .933 save percentage in the playoffs, after a regular season in which he went 25-10-8 in 44 games (43 starts) with a 2.53 GAA and .916 save percentage.
Ullmark was traded to the Ottawa Senators on June 24 for goalie Joonas Korpisalo, forward Mark Kastelic and a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
"I will say that every day that Jeremy is out, it hurts our team and it hurts him because of the preparation that we would like to do and he needs to do," Sweeney said. "But it's not going to stop us from hopefully finding common ground and getting it done.
"I'm certainly not going to predict. I do believe that he'll be in before December 1 because we all want him to play hockey and our team will be better for it."
The Bruins are familiar with players not reporting to camp. Defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo, and forward David Pastrnak, among others, have delayed their arrivals at training camp as restricted free agents without contracts. All eventually signed.
"I'll continue to work every day," Sweeney said. "It's not unlike David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo. And they've been longtime Boston Bruins. It's a process that seemingly every year there's a few players and this is a year that we have one. But I have to continue to do my job. I have to respect the position that Jeremy and his camp has taken and continue to try and find common ground."
Sweeney pushed back on reports that the Bruins had not been in contact with Swayman's camp for three weeks, as well as reports that emerged Wednesday that a contract had been finalized, which he called "100 percent inaccurate."
Selected by Boston in the fourth round (No. 111) of the 2017 NHL Draft, Swayman is 79-33-15 with a 2.34 GAA, .919 save percentage and 12 shutouts in 132 regular-season games (125 starts) and 9-10 with a 2.38 GAA and .922 save percentage in 20 playoff games (18 starts).
Korpisalo and prospect Brandon Bussi will be the Bruins top two goalies for the time being. Korpisalo, 30, went 21-26-4 in 55 games (49 starts) with a 3.27 GAA and .890 save percentage for the Senators last season. Bussi, 26, went 23-10-5 with a 2.67 GAA and .913 save percentage in 41 games for Providence of the American Hockey League.
Asked if he was concerned if Swayman's absence would impact other players, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said, "Right now, no. There's not a fear of that. Just because right now we're focused on training camp, getting ready for Game 1 (of the season) in Florida and the process. We've got a lot of day-to-day things that we've got to focus on right now."
Sweeney also provided an update on captain Brad Marchand, who had three surgeries during the summer. Marchand will not take the ice with the main group Thursday, but is expected to be ready for the season opener barring any setbacks.
"He's made a heck of a lot of progress the last little while," Sweeney said. "You guys all know Brad will do everything possible to be out there, wants to be out there. Training staff and doctors have put the reins on him to make sure that he's [ready]. We're trying to get ready for the season. We're not concerned about Day One for Brad. We're only concerned about opening night and moving forward and his full return to health."
