BOSTON — Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney, who said entering the offseason that signing No. 1 goalie Jeremy Swayman to a new contract was his top priority, confirmed the restricted free agent won’t be on the ice Thursday when the team returns for training camp.
“He has chosen to wait, and rightfully so, until a contract is settled,” Sweeney said Wednesday. “It’s our intention to continue to negotiate a contract. I’m disappointed that … I haven’t been able to do that yet.”
Sweeney also said that captain Brad Marchand, who is recovering from operations on his elbow and groin, won’t be ready for the start of camp but should be OK for the regular-season opener on Oct. 8. Marchand played all 82 regular-season games last year but missed two in the playoffs after taking a hit from Panthers forward Sam Bennett.
“We’re trying to get ready for the season. We’re not concerned about Day 1 from Brad,” Sweeney said. “We’re only concerned with opening night and moving forward to his full return to health.”
After serving as the No. 2 to Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark in Boston’s record-setting 2022-23 season, Swayman failed to come to terms on a long-term contract last summer and was awarded a $3.475 million deal in arbitration. He bristled at the process, and said: “I don’t want to do it ever again.”
Swayman, 25, must sign by Dec. 1 or sit out the season.
“Every day that Jeremy is out, it hurts our team and it hurts him, because of the preparation that we’d like to do and he needs to do,” Sweeney said. “I have to continue to do my job. I have to respect the position that Jeremy and his camp has taken and continue to try and find common ground.
“At the end of the day, I’m optimistic because I think we’ll find a landing spot before Dec. 1.”
Swayman alternated with Ullmark last year, making 43 starts in the regular season with a 2.53 goals-against average before winning the starting job in the playoffs. The Bruins lost to eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida in the second round.
Ullmark was traded to Ottawa in June for the Senators’ 2024 first-round draft pick, forward Mark Kastelic and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, who started 49 games for Ottawa last season with a 3.27 GAA. The Bruins could also call upon 26-year-old Brandon Bussi, who played 41 games for Providence of the AHL last season.
“We control what we control, which is who the players are here and how we’re going to handle that,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said. “Very similar to an injury: It’s next man up.”
Sweeney said it was not crucial to pick up a goaltender in the trade as insurance in case Swayman holds out.
“We were always going to have another goaltender,” he said.
Sweeney also lashed out at “completely inaccurate” reports — he also used a barnyard epithet — surrounding the negotiations: One claimed that he had not returned calls from Swayman’s camps for three weeks; another report on Wednesday morning said that a Swayman deal was done.
“It’s 100% inaccurate," Sweeney said.