Eklund: Bruins Eyeing Vet Goalie Martin Jones

I’ve been anxiously awaiting this reunion!

Interesting. The Bruins have a salary structure and it makes them really stingy sometimes. Thing is it's a game of chicken. They have till December to sign Swayman and then he's ineligible for the season. The power Swayman has is if the Bruins Faulter during the season. Then that proves Swaymans value and the Bruins are gonna end up paying. Its hard to find true value sometimes. But overpaying can be even worse than losing Swayman for the season. So I gonna be a little more on the Bruins side. It's right to be cautious about these big contracts. Because trading bad contracts are even worse. The Bruins will have to trade picks away with Swayman to get rid of of his contract if Swayman gets grossly overpaid.

Feels like a bluff, I would be shocked if Swayman isn't in camp within the first few days. Seems like it's all part of the negotiations and it would be kinda dumb for him not at least sign a bridge deal and not risk getting off to a slow start in his first year as the starter, but I guess you never know.

I can already see how this will play out in April/May 2025.

Always a good sign when your team is shopping in the goalie bargain bin.

Swayman to Bruins in May...get rid of the other girl and I will marry you.

Bruins say..duh...ok

Swayman to Bruins after trade....No pre nup and give me half now!!!

Amazing. like Shesterkin, will want 12 million and has never won anything!!!

Pony up Bruins and Rags...no championships in your futures!!

Swayman to Bruins in May...get rid of the other girl and I will marry you.

Bruins say..duh...ok

Swayman to Bruins after trade....No pre nup and give me half now!!!

Amazing. like Shesterkin, will want 12 million and has never won anything!!!

Pony up Bruins and Rags...no championships in your futures!!
- TrueGrit

Shesterkin is probably the best goaltender in the league, as much as it disgusts me to say that. He also has won a Vezina.

He's a pending UFA and the Rangers have the option to either keep the best goaltender in the league on their team, trade him, or let him walk for nothing. That's life in professional sports. Want to keep a highly coveted asset that everyone else wants? Be prepared to pay up or lose it. Nothing wrong with the player trying to secure a contract that will set he and his family up for the rest of their lives.

Shesterkin is probably the best goaltender in the league, as much as it disgusts me to say that. He also has won a Vezina.

He's a pending UFA and the Rangers have the option to either keep the best goaltender in the league on their team, trade him, or let him walk for nothing. That's life in professional sports. Want to keep a highly coveted asset that everyone else wants? Be prepared to pay up or lose it. Nothing wrong with the player trying to secure a contract that will set he and his family up for the rest of their lives.
- eichiefs9

Your points are valid, I do not disagree.

I should have been more clear regarding the spirit of my comment, that is committing a disproportionate percentage of cap space to one player, especially a goalie, will limit the overall quality of your entire team. Depth wins cups, not stars.

COVID Stale cap killed the lighting. Their studs took discounts to keep team together and due to no escalation in cap for 3 years, lost 3 to 5 other guys (McDonough, Coleman, Killorn, Palat, Gourde, Goodrow) guys who could have helped them make runs the last few years.

I do not blame guys for getting paid, but there is a flip side to it all that limits team depth.

Swayman wants vasilevsky money and there is a good chance the bruins do not even make the playoffs this year.

Rags traded the one commodity they need, in Goodrow. Hard to imagine they got softer in dealing him.

I highly doubt there is any truth to this or even a source. While the team and player are supposedly far away on a deal, I still believe it gets done before or worst case during camp.

Say there's any truth to this, then I'm betting the team leaked it intentionally to pressure Swayman's camp. Which is gross but it's not a new tactic either.

Your points are valid, I do not disagree.

I should have been more clear regarding the spirit of my comment, that is committing a disproportionate percentage of cap space to one player, especially a goalie, will limit the overall quality of your entire team. Depth wins cups, not stars.

COVID Stale cap killed the lighting. Their studs took discounts to keep team together and due to no escalation in cap for 3 years, lost 3 to 5 other guys (McDonough, Coleman, Killorn, Palat, Gourde, Goodrow) guys who could have helped them make runs the last few years.

I do not blame guys for getting paid, but there is a flip side to it all that limits team depth.

Swayman wants vasilevsky money and there is a good chance the bruins do not even make the playoffs this year.

Rags traded the one commodity they need, in Goodrow. Hard to imagine they got softer in dealing him.
- TrueGrit

Speculation and not confirmed. Local sports radio floated this because it was time to do something else besides poopting on the Patriots, ignoring the Red Sux and the Jason Tatum Olympics outrage ran it's course.

Your points are valid, I do not disagree.

I should have been more clear regarding the spirit of my comment, that is committing a disproportionate percentage of cap space to one player, especially a goalie, will limit the overall quality of your entire team. Depth wins cups, not stars.

COVID Stale cap killed the lighting. Their studs took discounts to keep team together and due to no escalation in cap for 3 years, lost 3 to 5 other guys (McDonough, Coleman, Killorn, Palat, Gourde, Goodrow) guys who could have helped them make runs the last few years.

I do not blame guys for getting paid, but there is a flip side to it all that limits team depth.

Swayman wants vasilevsky money and there is a good chance the bruins do not even make the playoffs this year.

Rags traded the one commodity they need, in Goodrow. Hard to imagine they got softer in dealing him.
- TrueGrit

I don't disagree that spending big bucks on a goaltender isn't necessarily the best strategy. But it definitely puts management in a real tough position. It's nearly impossible to explain to ownership, the team, and fans that you let a high-end goaltender (speaking generally here, not about one particular player) be traded or walk away because you didn't want to pay him what he was worth. On the other hand, you're hand-cuffing your cap for the foreseeable future to retain a player that only plays about 2/3, or less, of your games.

It's not an easy decision but I would imagine teams like the Rangers and Bruins that have an open window to win now will pay their talented goalies the market rate for their services and figure out the rest later.

I don't disagree that spending big bucks on a goaltender isn't necessarily the best strategy. But it definitely puts management in a real tough position. It's nearly impossible to explain to ownership, the team, and fans that you let a high-end goaltender (speaking generally here, not about one particular player) be traded or walk away because you didn't want to pay him what he was worth. On the other hand, you're hand-cuffing your cap for the foreseeable future to retain a player that only plays about 2/3, or less, of your games.

It's not an easy decision but I would imagine teams like the Rangers and Bruins that have an open window to win now will pay their talented goalies the market rate for their services and figure out the rest later.
- eichiefs9

The current offer was 6.2/ per I believe. If I'm Swayman at 25-26 and I have the ability and potential to be a top 5 goalie I wouldn't take the deal either. Sweeney overplayed his hand by agreeing to horrible trade for Ullmark. Swayman should've been signed first and before Lindholm and Zadorov.

I think 8x8 would get it done. If he's as good as he thinks he is and most Bruins fans think he is this ends up becoming a bargain after what Shesterkin and Sorokin probably get. Plus the cap is still projected to rise.

The current offer was 6.2/ per I believe. If I'm Swayman at 25-26 and I have the ability and potential to be a top 5 goalie I wouldn't take the deal either. Sweeney overplayed his hand by agreeing to horrible trade for Ullmark. Swayman should've been signed first and before Lindholm and Zadorov.

I think 8x8 would get it done. If he's as good as he thinks he is and most Bruins fans think he is this ends up becoming a bargain after what Shesterkin and Sorokin probably get. Plus the cap is still projected to rise.
- glove_was_stuck

Sorokin already got his extension last summer, 8x$8.25M

I would imagine something in that neighborhood gets it done for Swayman also and I definitely don't blame him for balking at ~$6M

Sorokin already got his extension last summer, 8x$8.25M

I would imagine something in that neighborhood gets it done for Swayman also and I definitely don't blame him for balking at ~$6M
- eichiefs9

Thanks for the correction! For some of the reasons I listed above that deal for Sorokin is a steal IMO.