Things are getting uglier and uglier in the negotiation between the Boston Bruins and their number one goaltender Jeremy Swayman.
First, they had GM Don Sweeney come out and refute reports made by the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast and then yesterday, President Cam Neely said, “I’d have $64 million reasons why I’d be playing” if he was in Swayman’s position.
That comment led to Swayman’s agent releasing this statement:
Tensions are high, and for the first time during this entire saga, it feels like maybe there’s no path to a resolution. It honestly feels like it’s getting personal, and it can be tough to come back from that.
Our very own Frank Seravalli reported today that the Bruin’s actual offer to Swayman was for eight years at a cap hit of $7.8m, but Swayman’s ask is for $8.5m per season.
I think the Bruins have made a few errors throughout this process. They probably should have locked up Swayman before trading Linus Ullmark and essentially saying that Swayman will be their number-one goalie for the next decade. Them not doing so gave Swayman a lot of power in this negotiation.
On the other hand, Swayman has never played 50 games in a season and while he has delivered consistent high-end results, I can understand why the Bruins are hesitant to pay him like a workhorse starter when he’s never really proven that he can handle that kind of workload.
It’s a mess, and you might wonder how this relates to the Oilers and why an Oilers writer is giving his take on this.
Well, it’s a few years down the road, but Stuart Skinner only has two more seasons left on his current deal, which is one of the best bargain contracts in the NHL at $2.6m.
When his current contract expires, Skinner will be a full unrestricted free agent, which would give him even more negotiating power than what Swayman has right now with the Bruins, considering his only options are to sign or sit out. Skinner could hit the open market, and that’s a pretty scary thought.
There has rightfully been a lot of attention paid to the extensions needed for both Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid, but there has not been a lot of talk about Skinner.
Remember what I said about Swayman wanting to be paid like a workhorse number one even though he’s never really shown he can handle that kind of a role? Well, Skinner is just 23 days older than Swayman and he’s played 50+ games in back-to-back seasons. He has shown that he can handle the workload that comes with being a legitimate number one, and unlike Swayman, he’s never had a high-end partner with whom to work in tandem. The pressure has been all on him, and that’s worth something.
Right now, Swayman is considered by many to be a future star at the goalie position and Skinner doesn’t quite come with that same pedigree. Still, again, we are ten months away from these two being able to start even talking about an extension. So, let’s say the following things play out over the next ten months:
- Skinner plays 50+ games again and shows that he’s a top-ten goalie in the NHL, which he’s already close to being in my opinion.
- He goes to the Four Nations Faceoff and plays for Team Canada, adding to his pedigree around the hockey world.
- He takes the Oilers on yet another deep playoff run.
If those things come to fruition, and none of them are reaches at all, then maybe the eventual Jeremy Swayman contract isn’t just a comparable… maybe it’s a starting point for Skinner and his camp.
McDavid will get a raise of anywhere from $4-5-million per season. Bouchard’s raise will likely be between $5-6-million per season, but how high will Skinner jump from his current $2.6-million price tag? It could be more than a $6 million jump if the next season or two plays out the way he and the Oilers hope it will.
That thought makes one thing clear: the Oilers better try to lock him up next summer and not let this situation linger into his contract year because that will only come with more drama and more risk that Skinner just puts together another high-end season. That’s not a risk I’d be willing to take if I was Stan Bowman.
Also, Igor Shesterkin is due to sign a new contract with the New York Rangers this season and that could drastically change the way we view goalie contracts.
Now, I think a few factors work in the Oilers’ favour here as well. First, Skinner is a local guy who started a family in Edmonton. The idea that he would bolt over the difference of a few hundred thousand dollars seems far-fetched. That, combined with the Oilers likely having both Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid locked up by the time they begin negotiations with Skinner, should make staying in Edmonton a high priority for him.
Knowing you’ll have repeated chances to win a Stanley Cup in your hometown has to carry some weight.
Still, as we’re seeing with Swayman, hockey is a business and even though he’s been very vocal about his want to be a Bruin from the jump, things have gotten nasty and now, the two sides might be headed towards an awkward divorce.
The Oilers should be watching this and taking notes. Lock up Stuart Skinner before there’s even a chance for any drama to unfold.
