As a goaltender, Jeremy Swayman is as focused and methodical in his training and preparation as one can get.
It sounded like he took the same approach to his arbitration case.
Swayman spoke with reporters for the first time since an arbitrator handed him a one-year $3.475 million contract last week. And it appeared that notoriously prickly process left no scratches on the young Bruin netminder – at least no visible ones.
“It wasn’t a process I wanted to go through but I understand that it’s a business and, in the end, I’m grateful that I went through it because I have so many things to be grateful for. The main thing is my agent Lewis Gross, Mark Toof and Jamie Bozzo and what they did for me and seeing how much they cared for me as a player,” said Swayman, who threw bouquets to the NHLPA lawyers as well.
Just the same, Swayman is glad it’s behind him. And though he’ll be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights again next year, he hopes he doesn’t have to go down the same road with the B’s this time next summer.
“The biggest thing was living day by day and what you hear might not be the truth at all times,” said Swayman of his approach to arbitration. “Again, it’s a business, and I wanted to make sure whatever was thrown my way, I was going to be able to attack with a good mindset and make sure at the end of the day I was going to do everything I could do to be a Boston Bruin. And now that I am here today and I am a Boston Bruin, I couldn’t be happier. There was no ill will on the process, because I know I’m not the first player to go through it and I’m not the last. But I definitely don’t wish it upon any of my friends or teammates moving forward and I don’t want to do it ever again. I’m grateful I went through it, I’m glad we got it done and I’m a Boston Bruin at the end of the day.”
Unless the B’s do a major course change before training camp, Swayman will team up with Linus Ullmark again as the pairing that won the Jennings Trophy last season as the best goalie tandem in the league.
“There’s nothing separating that guy and I,” he said with a wide grin. “That’s something I’m really excited about and I’m looking forward to being back in action with him.”
That doesn’t mean he won’t try and push to take playing time away from his buddy Ullmark, who had the edge in playing time last year, largely due to a knee injury that cost Swayman a month.
“That’s what makes it so special. If we didn’t have that (competitiveness), we’d be pissed at each other because that wouldn’t elevate our game,” said Swayman.
Swayman admitted that he was still smarting from his Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers. He remained in Boston in the summer in order to reap the benefits of everything the B’s have to offer in training, both on and off the ice.
“That was a commitment that I wanted to make personally to make sure that I was going to do everything I could to not have that feeling again in Game 7,” said Swayman.
Right now, the Swayman-Ullmark tandem is about the only thing that remains constant from the 65-win team. Not only is Patrice Bergeron retired, but David Krejci is not expected back while Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmitry Orlov, Taylor Hall, Garnet Hathaway, Connor Clifton and Tomas Nosek will all be donning different uniforms next season. That’s a lot of quality out the door and, if the B’s are to make it back to the playoffs, the goalies will have to play a big part.
“It’s the business of hockey and there are countless friends and brothers who are going different places, but those are relationships that’ll never be lost,” said Swayman. “You go to (Charlie McAvoy’s) wedding this weekend and it really sets in what we built last year and the friends and relationships we had. It’s definitely sad seeing the change and turnover. But at the same time, what an opportunity to meet some of the new players coming in. You hear such great things about these guys. I know our management isn’t going to bring in guys that are going to bring us down so I know we’re going to have the tools we need to succeed and I can’t wait for that.”
While those players will be missed, especially Bergeron and his leadership, Swayman sounded ready to embrace a new direction for the team. And be a big part of the future.
“I’m excited to see the guys that step up, me being one of them,” said Swayman. “I’m going to make sure that the years of experience that I have are going to help me be a voice in the room a little more. At the same time, (Bergeron) led by example and guys didn’t need him to say something to react and do something. That’s something that I want to do, be that steady heartbeat that guys can lean on.”