The Jeremy Swayman Contract Negotiations Have Turned Into A Bloodbath After Cam Neely Drops To The Media That The Bruins Have Offered 64 Million

Just when I thought the drama of Jeremy Swayman's contract negotiations peaked last week with Don Sweeney going at the Rumor Boys, but no... we are BACK after Charlie Jacobs, Cam Neely, Don Sweeney and Jim Montgomery just spoke to the media. It begun with the same old status quo with Sweeney and Jeremy Swayman's camp, needing to bridge the gap but then Cam dropped the bomb that the Bruins have offered Swayman as much as 64 million. 

Now this is incredibly juicy for a couple of reasons, first, we never get this sort of information from the Bruins brass. They're typically close to the vest when it comes to numbers and such so it was refreshing to hear what exactly they offered. Sweeney was PO'd last week about the Chiclets guys' comments about "not answering Swayman's calls for 3 weeks" this summer and their lowball offer (which Sweeney did not deny), which Whit stood by. Now Neely, drops this quote, trying to change the narrative about said lowball offer with this incredibly fair and reasonable offer of (presumably) 8x8. Interesting...

So, was that offer... last week? It certainly doesn't sound like it was offered this summer. 8x8 would make Swayman the fifth-highest-paid goalie in the league. That doesn't sound like a contract that would "reset the goalie market" though. Which is what Swayman reportedly wants to do. I thought this deal would get done in a heartbeat, but apparently not. 

Don Sweeney again pushed back against the narrative that the Bruins haven't been aggressive or willing to go max-term. That being said, I wonder if they stick to their guns and that 8x8 is the highest they'll go.

People have speculated that trading Swayman would be something that could materialize should this holdout last well into October/November but I don't see it, Swayman wants to play here, only here, but just wants his bag to do so.

This negotiation is turning into a public bloodbath, and while fighting and negotiating through the media is juicy for us, it has become ugly on both sides. Bruins management was clearly frustrated by the narrative, and now the ball (and court of opinion) is back in Swayman's camp. Did arbitration really make Swayman this bitter where he wants to stick it to the B's? Is he truly looking north of an 8.5 or even 9 million AAV? Will Neely's comments alienate Swayman even more? Right now only time will tell. Ultimately every day that a deal isn't done just hurts this team and their aspirations for this year. 

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I truly don't know where negotiations go from here.

We are 8 days away from opening night, where Joonas Korpisalo (who has looked good in preseason) will start in net.