After a down year in net, Jeremy Swayman is drawing trade calls, and the Bruins are no longer shutting down the possibility of moving him.
Not long ago, the Boston Bruins believed they had their future in goal figured out.
They made that clear when they signed Jeremy Swayman to an eight-year, $66 million extension, handing him the keys to one of the NHL’s most storied franchises. But less than 12 months later, those plans appear to be shifting.
Swayman struggled in his first full season as the team’s starting goaltender. His record of 22-29-7 and .892 save percentage over 58 starts was far from what the Bruins were expecting, especially after making such a significant investment.
Now, as the offseason gets underway, there’s a different tone coming out of Boston.
On a recent episode of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman confirmed the growing speculation: the Bruins are receiving calls on Swayman—and they’re not turning them away.
This was a tough year as you know. And I think teams, do they do their due diligence? I think they call and say, ‘This was a rough year, you made a lot of changes, what other changes are you thinking and would you ever think about doing something like [trading Swayman]?’
Swayman isn’t being shopped, but he’s not untouchable either
Friedman made it clear that Boston isn’t actively shopping their starting netminder.
Still, the fact they’re even entertaining the discussion signals a shift in mindset.
I do think teams have called [the Bruins], teams that have goaltending questions, and they have asked the Bruins would you consider doing it? And I think the Bruins proved this year that the answer for them is not necessarily no, but I think it would take an awful lot for them to consider it.
That tracks with what General Manager Don Sweeney has said recently: no one is off-limits.
After the team finished dead last in the Eastern Conference and missed the postseason, Sweeney seems open to whatever changes are needed to turn things around fast.
A message to Swayman: stay quiet, stay ready
In that same podcast segment, Friedman mentioned Spittin’ Chiclets producer Mike Grinnell’s comments, offering what felt like a message directed at Swayman himself.
To me, if it was me, I would tell Swayman this is gonna be a quiet summer for you. You’re not gonna do any interviews, you’re gonna spend your summer in the gym, and you’re gonna be ready to play. And if I was Swayman, I would do the same thing,
Friedman added.
That advice doesn’t just come from speculation—it’s grounded in the pressure that comes with Swayman’s position.
He’s not a backup anymore.
He’s not on a bridge deal.
He’s now the face of the Bruins’ crease, and after a season like this, how he responds in the summer could make all the difference.
Bruins are keeping their options open, and Swayman knows it
The tone from the Bruins isn’t one of panic. It’s one of pragmatism.
Swayman may still be part of the team’s long-term plan, but that plan clearly isn’t written in ink anymore.
The league knows it. Teams in need of goaltending are circling, sensing that Boston might just be open to moving on—if the price is right.
With the offseason just beginning, there’s no telling how far these talks will go. But one thing is certain: what once looked like a stable goaltending future in Boston is now up for debate.
