One year ago, Jeremy Swayman secured his future in Boston with a massive eight-year, $66 million contract. Now, following the worst stretch of his career, that future doesn’t feel nearly as certain.
Handed the full-time starting job for the first time, Swayman struggled mightily. His final stat line—a 22-29-7 record and .892 save percentage over 58 starts—represented a steep drop from previous seasons.
For the Bruins, the outcome was just as grim: dead last in the Atlantic Division.
It’s the kind of campaign that shifts narratives. Around the league, teams in need of goaltending are reportedly circling.
Elliotte Friedman says teams have called the Bruins about Swayman
During a recent appearance on Chiclets Game Notes, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman revealed that Swayman has been a topic of trade interest among front offices.
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]?’
The discussion was prompted by Spittin’ Chiclets producer Mike Grinnell, who referenced Friedman’s earlier comments from an April episode of 32 Thoughts in which he speculated that calls on Swayman would be inevitable after such a poor showing.
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.
But 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.
Bruins already showed they’re not afraid of big changes
Boston’s actions at the 2025 trade deadline spoke volumes.
General manager Don Sweeney didn’t just move expiring contracts—he sent out core pieces under term. That included longtime captain Brad Marchand, center Charlie Coyle, and defenseman Brandon Carlo.
The message was clear: no one is untouchable.
That context makes it easier to understand why the idea of trading Swayman isn’t far-fetched. Especially considering that his full no-movement clause doesn’t kick in until next summer.
If the Bruins want flexibility, now’s the time.
Goalie depth offers options, but no sure answers
Boston’s crease isn’t exactly settled.
Joonas Korpisalo, who had a frustrating first year in black and gold, remains under contract at $3 million per season.
Behind him, Brandon Bussi and Michael DiPietro are both heading toward free agency. And just this week, the Bruins brought in a new goaltender from the Czech League.
The picture is cloudy. The leash may be short.
Swayman was supposed to be the long-term solution. That may still be true. But after a year that shook the foundation of the franchise, the Bruins appear open to hearing what’s out there.
