Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney addressed the media on Wednesday while Bruins players underwent off-ice testing before their first on-ice session on Thursday. As the camp roster released by the Bruins on Tuesday indicated, Sweeney confirmed that restricted free agent goalie Jeremy Swayman is holding out of the start of the 2023-24 training camp.
“Jeremy Swayman will not be in attendance tomorrow on the ice,” Sweeney told reporters at Warrior Ice Arena on Wednesday. “He has chosen to wait, and rightfully so, until a contract is settled. It’s our intention to continue to negotiate a contract. I’m disappointed that when you set things as a priority in a general manager’s spot that, you do your best to try and accomplish that, and I haven’t been able to do that yet.”
As he has throughout the current contract negotiations with Swayman and his agent Lewis Gross, Sweeney clarified that he would not divulge any details of why his 25-year-old star goaltender has not signed on the dotted line yet.
“I will not go into depth of the negotiations or talks we had,” Sweeney replied. “We’re excited about the players that are here and looking to move forward. As I said, I’m disappointed, but at the end of the day, I’m optimistic because I think we’ll find a landing spot before Dec. 1.”
Note: Dec. 1 is the deadline for all free agents (unrestricted and restricted) to sign or else they cannot play in the 2024-25 regular season.
After taking a series of questions, including the health of captain Brad Marchand, who is also missing the start of camp, Sweeney was then pressed on the Swayman situation again. He became agitated and then called out Spittin Chiclets Podcast Host and TNT NHL analyst Paul Bissonnette, who reported last month that Sweeney had ‘gone weeks’ without returning calls to Swayman and Gross.
“I think it’s bulls–t that somebody says I wouldn’t return a call for three weeks,” Sweeney told reporters. “There. That’s inaccurate. Was it said? Was it written? I will tell you: I don’t listen to podcasts. My son loves Biz and thinks he’s fabulous. I think he’s a great entertainer. But at the end of the day, it’s inaccurate. And that’s OK because that’s all part of the business nowadays. It’s OK if you turn around and say it’s your opinion, your belief, but don’t report it as fact. That’s all. That’s all I’m asking.”
