Countdown to Boston Bruins Camp: Jeremy Swayman

From now until the beginning of training camp, Boston Hockey Now is profiling players who will be on, or have a chance to be on, the 2022-23 Boston Bruins. Today’s player: Jeremy Swayman.

Social Media Handles: Intsagram – @jswayman1 Twitter – @JeremySwayman

What Happened Last Year: Jeremy Swayman posted impressive numbers in his rookie season and finished fifth in voting for the 2022 Calder Trophy, including two first place, three second place and 14 third place votes. After going 23-14-3 with a 2.41 GAA and .914 save percentage, as well as three shutouts in the regular season, Swayman replaced Linus Ullmark and started the final five games of the opening round seven-game series loss for the Boston Bruins to the Carolina Hurricanes. Swayman finished the series with a 3-2 record, 2.63 GAA and .911 save percentage.

Questions To Be Answered This Season: 

Last season, former Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy pretty much let Swayman and Ullmark split the duties between with Ullmark (26-10-2, 2.45 GAA, .917 save percentage), playing just two less games than the rookie. Former Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask played the other four games in his unsuccessful comeback attempt from hip surgery in the 2021 offseason. The biggest question with the goaltending won’t necessarily be whether the Boston Bruins can depend on Swayman and Ullmark, but rather how will new head coach Jim Montgomery divvy up the starts between the two very capable goalies. As for Swayman himself, it’s fair to ask that with more opposing shooters getting used to him and with the pressure of a new contract due after this season, will he continue to improve or suffer a sophomore jinx?

In Their Words: 

“First and foremost, Tuukka’s been a great mentor to me. He had an incredible career, so I give tons of kudos to him,” said Swayman, who is absolutely going to need to up his game against the NHL’s stronger teams where he’s posted a 1-6-1 record this season. “It was incredible to be (in a tandem) with him and obviously all the accolades he’s compiled over the years is pretty incredible. Hall of Fame-bound, for sure. And what an incredible mentor.” – Jeremy Swayman when Rask retired last February.

Overall Outlook: 

If the Bruins hadn’t fired Cassidy, the read here would’ve been that unless he had a bad camp, the net would’ve been Swayman’s to lose when the season started. Talking to Cassidy, and then some other team sources at the end of last season, the feel was Swayman had won the staff and management over as the likely starter this season. Is that how new Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery sees it? The bet here is he will by the end of camp and No. 1 will be manning the pipes at the Capital One Center on October 12 when the Bruins kickoff the 2022-23 regular season. Big things are ahead for the 23-year-old Swayman and that’s likely why the Boston Bruins chose him to represent the team at the 2022 NHL Player Media Tour in Las Vegas this week.