Bruins

Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman explains arbitration comments following shutout win

“I'm living in the present moment. And again, it just goes back to the experience."

By Conor Ryan

January 15, 2024

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“You can’t buy experience at Target” is a phrase that’s become a staple of a Jeremy Swayman scrum over the years.

It’s a message passed down from the late Red Gendron — Swayman’s former head coach at Maine — that the Bruins netminder has taken to heart as he navigates his way through the pro hockey ranks.

For Swayman, experiences — both good and bad — serve as the building blocks toward positive growth. 

Be it a 31-save shutout (as was the case during Monday’s 3-0 win over the Devils) or a crushing Game 7 loss, he welcomes any reps handed to him between the pipes. 

And off the ice, Swayman has been candid when it comes to the challenges he’s faced and the motivation he’s drawn from those hurdles.

Given that mindset, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the 25-year-old netminder mentioned his arbitration hearing last summer when asked Saturday about his recent All-Star nod. 

“Yeah, after dealing with what I did this summer with arbitration, hearing things that a player should never hear, it feels pretty special to be in this situation,” Swayman said after Boston’s overtime win over the Blues on Saturday night.

Following Boston’s shutout victory over New Jersey, Swayman was asked about his callback comments regarding his arbitration hearing and how it has impacted him.

“I think it was a great learning experience. I’m not gonna lean on it. It’s already happened — what’s happened has happened,” Swayman said. “I’m living in the present moment. And again, it just goes back to the experience.

“And I wouldn’t be the human being I am, I wouldn’t be the player I am if I didn’t go through it — if I didn’t have the years in college, and I didn’t have the years of junior [hockey], and the years in the NHL. So I’m grateful for everything that’s come my way and I’m excited for what’s to come… I’m allowed to lean on my experience when things happen and that’s what I did.”

Over the summer, Swayman was upfront over his displeasure with having to take part in arbitration with Boston to hash out a new contract.

Both teams and players typically try to avoid arbitration hearings, given the potentially contentious dialogue that can bubble to the surface as both sides state their case to a third-party arbitrator.

And with Swayman and a cap-strapped Bruins team reportedly $2.8 million apart as far as salary was concerned, some raw nerves might have been struck.

“There’s no ill will on the process, because I understand that. I’m not the first player to go through it,” Swayman said of going through arbitration in August. “I’m not the last. But I definitely don’t wish it upon any of my friends and teammates moving forward and I don’t want to do it ever again as well. So grateful I went through it.”

Boston and Swayman eventually met in the middle, with the arbitrator handing the goalie a $3.475 million contract. The Bruins also handed Swayman a one-year deal instead of two, allowing him to land an even bigger raise this upcoming offseason.

So far, Swayman is setting himself up for a hefty new contract in 2024 and beyond.

Following Monday’s win, Swayman is 13-3-7 with a .922 save percentage and three shutouts on the year. As noted by Dimitri Filipovic of “The Hockey PDOcast”, Swayman has now boasted a shutout in 11.4 percent of his starts with the Bruins. 

“I love it, the stuff that I see from Sway,” David Pastrnak said postgame. “He wants to get better every day… He is not afraid of the challenge and what I love about him… he’s so confident, in the right way. It’s been fun to watch him and you can feel the confidence [from] him.”

With his goalie partner Linus Ullmark still “day to day” with a lower-body injury, Swayman has appeared in five straight games with Boston — including three consecutive starts.

For now, Swayman is welcoming the added reps. After all, you can’t buy experience at Target. 

“I love when people know that,” Swayman said of his confidence and swagger in net. “Because I know that. I want the net every night. And that’s what I want my teammates to know, that’s what I want my coaches to know, it’s what I want this organization to know.

“I actually love being in the net. It’s where I feel most comfortable. It’s what I’m born to do and every opportunity I get that I don’t take it for granted. I enjoy it to the fullest. I have a smile on my face every time and look forward to more.”