Jeremy Swayman
Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman of Anchorage is currently playing under a 1-year, $3.475-million contract, signed after arbitration, that expires after the season.
So, he’s due a new deal.
And the price on the restricted free agent’s next contract undoubtedly keeps going up.
The 25-year-old on Monday night snuffed 32 shots to spearhead a 4-1 victory at Toronto that delivered him into the 20-win club for the third straight NHL season.
At 20-6-8, Swayman owns a .921 save percentage that ranks second on the circuit and a 2.49 goals-against average that sits eighth. According to evolving-hockey.com, Swayman’s goals-saved-above average (16.46) ranks third and his goals-saved-above-expected (19.3) sits fifth.
Insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported Monday that the Bruins are in talks with Swayman’s representation about a contract extension.
Swayman’s performance Monday proved critical for a Bruins club that entered just 4-4-5 since the All-Star break (Swayman was an All-Star). The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa pointed out only four teams had won fewer games since the break. That collection – Chicago, San Jose, Arizona and Montreal – does not constitute Murderers Row.
Swayman, who generally splits starts with reigning Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark, should get his next start Thursday, again against Toronto, but this time at home.
Elsewhere around the pro circuits:
- Henderson Silver Knights goalie Isaiah Saville of Anchorage racked an American Hockey League win last Thursday by stopping 13 shots in regulation and overtime, and four of five in the shootout, in a 4-3 win over Coachella Valley. He’s 6-7-1, 2.82, .908, and due a new deal in the offseason.
- In the ECHL, second-year center Nolan Walker of Anchorage, who does his damage for the league-leading and playoffs-qualified Kansas City Mavericks, continued to sizzle. Friday, he pocketed a goal and two assists in a 5-4 shootout win over Wichita. He scored a goal Saturday in a 3-2 loss at Tulsa. And he produced a power-play assist Sunday in a 7-4 win at Tulsa. With 28-28—56 totals in 53 games, Walker is tied for fourth in the league in goals and tied for 10th in points.
- Former UAA forward Alec Butcher of Anchorage and the Tulsa Oilers, had an assist in each game against Kansas City to give him 18-15—33 totals in 55 combined games with Tulsa and Reading.
- Savannah Ghost Pirates goalie Michael Bullion of Anchorage earned the ECHL Goaltender of the Week award after stopping 33 shots in Friday’s 4-2 win at Rapid City and 40 shots in a 8-2 win in Saturday’s rematch. He improved to 12-9-3, 2.92, .905.
- Former UAA forward Drake Glover of Anchorage had an assist both nights for the Birmingham Bulls in 2-1 and 5-1 losses at Peoria in the Southern Professional Hockey League. With 26-22—48 totals and a plus-24 rating, Glover is second in the league in goals, second in plus-minus rating and tied for third in points.
- Meanwhile, Peoria forward Cayden Cahill of Anchorage furnished an assist in each win against Birmingham to push his season totals to 12-24—36 in 46 games, which places him 18th in the league in scoring.