The stalemate between the Bruins and Swayman became the leading story surrounding the team this offseason, only growing in magnitude as we get closer to the regular season. Today, the situation escalated rapidly after Bruins President of Hockey Operations Cam Neely implied that the team had offered an eight-year contract extension to the goaltender worth 64 million dollars. Here's what Friedman had to say about that moment.
This quote is referencing a statement made by Swayman's agent Lewis Gross which hit social media hours after the Bruins press conference. In it, Gross refuted Neely's claim, stating that this was the first time he had heard 64 million since negotiations began.
Making matters even more concerning for the Bruins, Friedman revealed that he has heard rumors about Swayman potentially being traded for the past two weeks or so. Perhaps this is an indicator that Swayman could request a trade. After all, these rumors could potentially have been leaked by Swayman's camp. In fact, that may be likely as the team has reportedly denied these claims.
Understandably, Neely has taken some flak for the way he handled this situation. Former NHL goaltender Kevin Weekes even commented on it, shaming Neely without naming him specifically.
If Swayman does ultimately request a trade, the Bruins season could be in jeopardy. As such, this story will continue to be the most important one surrounding the team. Be sure to stay tuned for updates as they come out in the coming days.