The Boston Bruins have made some of the biggest free-agent acquisitions of the 2024 off-season, signing center Elias Lindholm and hulking defenseman Nikita Zadorov to multi-year contracts.
But their biggest signing, in both the short and long terms, still hasn’t happened. It could eat up most, if not all, of the $8.6 million in salary cap space they have at the moment. We’re referring, of course, to star goaltender and RFA Jeremy Swayman. The 25-year-old made the starting job his own this past season in Boston, and he’s earned a massive raise on the $3.475 million he earned in 2023-24.
Swayman could sign a bridge deal that would take him through the next two seasons before he becomes a UFA leading into the 2026-27 campaign, but we suspect Bruins GM Don Sweeney will be offering Swayman a longer-term contract that at least doubles his salary beginning next season. That’s mainly because, if Swayman did go to the open market, a $7-million-per-season contract would probably be the starting point in negotiations. There would be no shortage of suitors willing to pay at least that amount of money, if not considerably more, for Swayman’s services. And don’t think agents for other star goalies aren’t closely watching what happens with Swayman’s contract.
New York Rangers superstar netminder Igor Shesterkin and Vegas Golden Knights starter Adin Hill are both going to be UFAs next summer, while Vancouver Canucks star goalie Thatcher Demko will be a UFA in 2026. Each team has its in-house budgets to adhere to, but if Swayman swings for the fences and comes up with a deal with at least an $8-million cap hit, the tide will rise accordingly for all goalie boats.
