The Boston Bruins have a lot of unknowns going into the 2024 summer.
The goaltending scenario involving Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark’s two-headed goaltender attack is at the top of the list. Over the last two seasons in Boston, the goaltender tandem played a significant role in the team’s 2023 President’s Trophy victory and back-to-back postseason participation.
Many uncertainties still surround how the Boston Bruins will use their cap room to bolster their squad as they approach the summer of 2024. If Don Sweeny intends to spend more than $10 million on his goaltender position, that is one of the most important questions he needs to answer.
25-year-old Boston Bruins restricted free agent goalie
For the past two seasons, Jeremy Swayman and Ullmark have alternated shifts. Salary arbitration determined that Swayman deserved a one-year contract worth $3.475 million for the 2023–24 campaign. Entering this summer, the goalie, who was born in Alaska, is once again a restricted free agent. Similar to the previous summer, Swayman anticipates receiving a raise following a 25-10-8 record and 92% save percentage. Before the arbitrator met with both parties in the middle to make the final decision, the goalie from the previous season requested about $5 million in the offseason.
Quotes from his inaugural All-Star game from earlier in the season suggest that Boston would be better off keeping Swayman out of arbitration this summer. The young goaltender had a bad feeling about the procedure. “But yes, it feels pretty special to be in this situation (making the all-star game) after dealing with what I did with arbitration this summer and hearing things that a player should never hear.”
Next Summer: Linus Ullmark Will Be an Unrestricted Free Agent
General manager Don Sweeney of the Boston Bruins would be happy with two outstanding goalies and significantly fewer worries than most NHL teams if life were easy. When every dollar counts in the process of developing a club, two excellent goaltenders demand a significant financial expenditure for one position in the wage cap world.
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