An irate Don Sweeney slams ‘inaccuracies’ over Jeremy Swayman reporting
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney does not listen to podcasts.
But he was more than aware — and quite displeased — with some recent podcast chatter that painted his talks with restricted free agent Jeremy Swayman in an extremely unfavorable light.
Speaking with the assembled media for 20 minutes at Brighton’s Warrior Ice Arena on Wednesday, Sweeney made repeated references to the ‘inaccuracies’ that have surrounded the club’s seemingly never-ending negotiations with Swayman’s camp led by agent Lewis Gross.
Sweeney did his part to shut down additional Swayman questions after spending the first five minutes or so discussing the current impasse between the parties. But after yet another mention of ‘inaccuracies’, I had to know if there were specific inaccuracies that’ve especially gotten under his skin in what’s been an absolute cyclone of reporting and rumblings of late.
“Ask me specifically. You got knowledge of it that we haven’t offered an eight-year deal, or we haven’t or we’re not willing to compromise or we haven’t moved on things,” Sweeney told me. “At the end of the day, I’m not talking about specifics. You’re just not gonna get it. But I think it’s bullshit that somebody says I wouldn’t return a call for three weeks. There. That’s inaccurate. Was it said? Was it written?”
Sweeney was referencing to a recent episode of the Spittin Chiclets podcast (he called it the ‘Spitting Up on Yourself’ podcast earlier in his availability), where co-host Ryan Whitney revealed what he was told was the B’s most recent offer and added that the club had not returned Swayman’s calls in weeks. (Note: I was admittedly not familiar with this report when Sweeney cited it as a specific, and said as much.)
“I will tell you, I don’t listen to podcasts,” Sweeney said. “My son loves [Paul Bissonnette]. I thinks he’s a great entertainer. But at the end of the day, they’re 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 or your belief and such, but don’t report it as fact. That’s all I’m asking.”
As frustrated as Sweeney may be that these negotiations are going to dragging on (and there’s absolutely an element of that here), his dropping of the ‘BS’ bomb felt like it had to more to do with what he clearly seemed to take as an attack on his character from the biggest hockey podcast in the world.
Sweeney noted that he was ‘disappointed’ that he was not able to cross the finish line with the 25-year-old Swayman ahead of the opening of training camp (and Swayman will not be on the ice on Thursday when the team hits the ice), but noted that he will remain in ‘constant communication’ with Swayman’s camp. And that readily-available updates will be few and far between, at least from the B’s point of view.
“I think that being a representative of the Bruins and how we do business and try to keep things close to the vest and respect everybody’s own privacy, I will answer your questions, but I will not go into depth with the negotiations and the talks we’ve had,” said Sweeney. “But I’ll continue to work every day.”
Bruins announce 2024 training camp roster
Forwards
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 21: Charlie Coyle #13 of the Boston Bruins during warmups at Crypto.com Arena on October 21, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Joey Abate: The 25-year-old Abate had a career-high three goals, 10 assists, and 13 points, along with 132 minutes in penalties, in 53 games for the P-Bruins a year ago.
Johnny Beecher: A speedy fourth-line energizer, Beecher posted seven goals and 10 points in 52 games with Boston last season. The next step for Beecher here will be potentially moving up the lineup, or truly settling in as a true faceoff ace (Beecher posted a 54.6 percent success rate at the dot a year ago).
Justin Brazeau: One of Boston’s late-season surprises, the 6-foot-5 Brazeau put up five goals and seven points in 19 regular-season games to close out the year in Boston, and added a goal and helper in nine playoff games. It’ll be interesting to see how the Bruins treat him in training camp, particularly in regards to whether or not they consider him to be a ‘lock’ for their main roster or if he’ll have to compete for a regular role on this squad.
Patrick Brown: A veteran capable of playing center or wing, Brown recorded an assist and 25 hits in 11 NHL appearances with the Bruins last season.
Charlie Coyle: Opportunity is everything, so perhaps it’s no shock that the Bruins got the best version of Charlie Coyle a year ago. Coyle established career-highs in goals (25) and points (60), and is expected to anchor Boston’s second line with Brad Marchand in 2024-25.
Riley Duran: Jumping to the pro game after a strong collegiate career at Providence, people in the B’s organization are high on Riley Duran. It probably helps that the 22-year-old Duran played in Nate Leaman’s system at PC (the program has a knack for churning out dependable bottom-six types).
Jan 25, 2024; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Boston Bruins center Trent Frederic (11) skates in the first period against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. (Marc DesRosiers/USA TODAY Sports)
John Farinacci: Signed in 2023 after a strong collegiate career at Harvard, Farinacci opened some eyes with 12 goals and 38 points in 71 games as a first-year pro with AHL Providence. The 23-year-old could be a darkhorse candidate to get some NHL run with the Black and Gold this season.
Trent Frederic: A sneaky-big contract year on the way for Trent Frederic. After breaking out in 2022-23, Frederic took another step forward last year, with a career-high 18 goals, 22 assists, and 40 points in 82 games for the B’s. If he does that once again, who knows what his next contract looks like for the club.
Morgan Geekie: It didn’t take long for the cap-strung Bruins to be proven right on their ‘big money’ (relative term considering their situation last summer) gamble on Morgan Geekie. Taken out of Seattle and out of a fourth-line role, Geekie rewarded the B’s confidence in his skill set with career-highs across the board, with 17 goals and 39 points in 76 games for the Bruins a year ago.
Brett Harrison: Drafted by the Bruins with the No. 85 overall pick in 2021, Harrison posted five goals and 14 points in 47 games for the P-Bruins a year ago. Now comes seeing if he can take that next step after getting his feet wet in the pro game.
Tyler Johnson: In camp on a pro tryout agreement and in search of an NHL deal, the veteran Johnson comes to Boston after posting 17 goals and 31 points for the Blackhawks a year ago. Johnson can play both center and wing, though he’s projected as more of a wing at this point in his career.
Max Jones: Listed at 6-foot-3 and 216 pounds, Max Jones joins the Bruins after putting up five goals and 15 points for the Ducks a year ago. Jones also racked up 127 hits over that 52-game run in Anaheim a year ago, and has first-round pedigree to his name, with Jones taken with the No. 24 overall pick by the Ducks in 2016.
VANCOUVER, CANADA – MAY 8: Elias Lindholm #23 of the Vancouver Canucks waits for a face-off during the first period in Game One of the Second Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Edmonton Oilers. (Derek Cain/Getty Images)
Mark Kastelic: Acquired in the Ullmark-to-Ottawa trade, Kastelic provides the Bruins with a right shot on their fourth line. One thing that immediately stands out when you look at Kastelic is his ability to win draws. Over the last three seasons, the right-shooting forward has won an impressive 56.3 percent of his faceoffs. Among a group of 146 NHL players with at least 1,000 faceoffs over that span, that 56.3 percent success rate is tied with Aleksander Barkov for the 12th-best mark in the NHL. Kastelic’s defensive-zone faceoff win percentage (also 56.3 percent) is 13th-best, too. A year ago, Boston’s righties posted a combined faceoff percentage of 48.4 percent, with Charlie Coyle finishing as the Black and Gold’s only righty to win over 50 percent of his faceoffs.
Cole Koepke: A contender for a fourth-line role, the 6-foot-1 Koepke spent the majority of his 2023-24 campaign with AHL Syracuse, where he tallied 20 goals and 39 points in 53 games. Koepke also made nine appearances for the Lightning during the 2023-24 season, and certainly made the most of his 6:42 per night over that nine-game sample, with two assists and 23 hits for the Bolts.
Trevor Kuntar: Another potential dark horse for some NHL run this season, Kuntar scored 10 goals and totaled 20 points in 70 AHL games for Providence last season. Kuntar is mostly known for his net-front game and finishing ability, and showed that he was not afraid to mix it up.
Vinni Lettieri: A journeyman AAAA player, Lettieri is back for another round with the Bruins organization after posting five goals and nine points in 46 games for the Wild in 2023-24.
Elias Lindholm: Boston’s big free-agent addition, the hope from the Bruins is that Elias Lindholm fills the top-line center void left by Patrice Bergeron. Now, if you’re hoping that Lindholm is Bergeron, you’re going to be disappointed. Bergeron was honestly a once-in-an-era type of two-way center. The faceoff excellence, the defensive acumen, and the offensive chops? That’s not hitting the open market, like, ever, so it’s honestly insane to think it suddenly did and that the Bruins were the only team wise enough to sign it.
With that said, though, there’s legitimate hope that Lindholm can gel with David Pastrnak and form a legitimate one-two punch. Lindholm’s playoff run with Vancouver (five goals and 10 points in 13 games), as well as the fact that he was at his best when playing with superstar talents in Calgary should give the Bruins hope that they have a legitimate 75-point center on their roster for the first time since Bergeron retired.
Fabian Lysell: After putting up 15 goals and 50 points in 56 games for AHL Providence a year ago, the 2021 first-round pick has his best chance yet at making the B’s NHL roster. So much so that the Bruins decided to keep him out of rookie camp and the 2024 Prospects Challenge to make sure that he’s at 100 percent.
Dec 27, 2023; Buffalo, New York, USA; Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha (18) waits for the face-off during the third period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. (Timothy T. Ludwig/USA TODAY Sports)
Brad Marchand: After undergoing three separate surgeries this summer, the Bruins are hopeful that Brad Marchand will be at 100 percent shortly into the start of training camp. Marchand is a lock for Boston’s second-line left wing spot, most likely with Charlie Coyle as his center. Marchand is also entering a contract year, though he’s already said he’s not going to publicly comment on his status with the Bruins.
Marc McLaughlin: The North Billerica, Mass. native has tallied four goals and 21 hits in 14 NHL games, and scored a goal in his lone NHL appearance of the 2023-24 season.
Georgii Merkulov: A player certainly entering ‘use him or lose him’ territory, Merkulov put up 30 goals and 65 points in 67 games in the AHL a year ago, and has the ability to crack this roster in a third-line role this season, be it at center or left wing. There’s also an outside chance that the Bruins try him at right wing given the undeniable need there, though it’s worth noting that he’s never played that position in his pro career.
Jaxon Nelson: Signed by the Bruins after a collegiate run with Minnesota, Nelson is a 6-foot-4 center who totaled 19 goals and 31 points in 39 NCAA contests a season ago, and added one goal in seven late-season appearances for AHL Providence.
David Pastrnak: The great irony of Pastrnak’s 2023-24 season was that he was arguably more important to the Bruins’ success a year ago than he was during the 2022-23 campaign that saw him finish as a top-three Hart Trophy vote getter. He just didn’t have the gaudy point totals to show for it.
Matt Poitras: It’ll be interesting to see how the Bruins utilize Poitras in training camp. He is coming off a major surgical procedure, and it’s no longer NHL-or-bust for him, so perhaps the Bruins want to play the long game and allow Poitras to get readjusted to game speed with a start in the minors.
Riley Tufte: Originally a first-round pick of the Stars back in 2016 (No. 25 overall), Tufte’s move to Boston comes after a 2023-24 season that included one goal and an assist, along with seven shots and eight hits, in five games for the Avalanche. Down on the Avs’ farm, though, Tufte was a gamebreaker, as he tallied 23 goals and 45 points in 67 games for AHL Colorado. The 26-year-old was also named to the AHL All-Star Classic, and won the hardest shot competition during the festivities, with a contest-winning shot that clocked in at 100.9 MPH.
Jeffrey Viel: A 6-foot-2 left shot, Viel spent the entire 2023-24 campaign in the AHL, where he tallied 17 goals and 40 points, and racked up 142 minutes in penalties, 69 games for Manitoba. Overall, Viel has made 49 NHL appearances, all of which came during a three-season run with San Jose from 2021 through 2023. Viel’s longest NHL run was a 34-game 2021-22 season that featured three goals and five points, along with 84 hits.
Pavel Zacha: As it stands right now, the Bruins plan on moving Pavel Zacha back to left wing after a 2023-24 season spent with Zacha playing center. Zacha posted a career-best line of 21 goals, 38 assists, and 59 points in 78 games for Boston a year ago. Utilizing his shot more is a must in 2024-25, really, as he possesses an absolute cannon of a blast when given time and space, which will absolutely be the case for the Czech-born scorer if he plays on a line with Lindholm and Pastrnak as planned.
Defensemen
May 6, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo (25) moves the puck against the Florida Panthers during the first period in game one of the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. (Sam Navarro/USA TODAY Sports)
Drew Bavaro: The right-shooting Bavaro, who was signed by the Bruins last spring, is getting set for his first pro season after a collegiate career split between Bentley University and Notre Dame. The 6-foot-3 Bavaro made seven appearances for the P-Bruins after the Fighting Irish’s season ended.
Frederic Brunet: An offense-first defender, Brunet went through his ups and downs jumping from juniors to the AHL (and as a young AHLer at that) a year ago. Still, the 21-year-old put up two goals and 12 points in 48 games with the P-Bruins a year ago, and feels ready to take that next step after learning what he can and cannot get away with at hockey’s next level.
Michael Callahan: A left-shooting defender standing at 6-foot-2, Callahan posted four goals and 17 points in 70 games for the P-Bruins a year ago. Overall, he has totaled six goals and 27 points in 140 games with Providence over the last three seasons.
Brandon Carlo: Boston’s second-pairing stalwart, Carlo totaled four goals and 14 points in 76 games for the B’s last season, and had a career-high 140 blocks while averaging 19:54 per night.
Jackson Edward: A potential fan favorite in the making, Edward is making the jump to the pros after a stellar run under Dale Hunter with the OHL London Knights. The Knights have been known for producing some downright menacing presences, and Edward is no exception. He plays with edge, he plays with bite, and he’ll be the first to tell you that the contact is why he decided to play hockey in the first place.
Loke Johansson: A sixth-round pick by the Bruins this past June, Johansson recorded five goals and eight assists in 33 games with AIK Jr. of the Swedish Junior Hockey League in 2023-24.
Oct. 3, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Mason Lohrei (6) gets set for a face-off during overtime against the Washington Capitals at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)
Hampus Lindholm: The Bruins have acknowledged that they would like to get Hampus Lindholm in more offensive situations than they did a year ago. How they accomplish that will be interesting, though, as it would almost certainly require Lindholm playing with a different pairing partner than Carlo.
Mason Lohrei: The 2024 postseason was the undeniable coming out party for Mason Lohrei. The confidence, the poise, the downright insane puck plays he made… you simply can’t teach that stuff. Now comes letting him take flight with a full-time role on this blue line.
Ryan Mast: The 2021 sixth-round pick spent the majority of his 2023-24 season with ECHL Maine, where he put up five goals and 16 points in 47 games. Mast, who stands at 6-foot-5 and 221 pounds, was also called into action for seven games for Providence during the AHL season.
Charlie McAvoy: The undeniable horse of Boston’s backend, McAvoy posted career-bests in goals (12), hits (159), and blocks (159) in 74 games for the B’s last year.
Mason Millman: With the P-Bruins on an AHL deal, Millman put up seven goals and 26 points in 44 games for ECHL Reading a year ago, and added four assists during a 15-game run with AHL Lehigh Valley. Millman was originally a fourth-round pick of the Flyers back in 2019.
Ian Mitchell: A depth defenseman, the 5-foot-11 Mitchell put up two assists, 13 blocks, and a plus-6 rating in 13 games with the Black and Gold a season ago.
DALLAS, TEXAS – DECEMBER 21: Nikita Zadorov #91 of the Vancouver Canucks skates with the puck during the second period against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center on December 21, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
Jordan Oesterle: A 32-year-old defenseman, Oesterle spent last year in the Calgary organization, and totaled two assists, 22 hits, and 33 blocked shots in 22 games for the Flames. In addition to his NHL contests with the Flames, Oesterle also made 30 appearances for Calgary’s AHL squad in 2023-24, with two goals and 19 points with the Wranglers. An NHLer since the 2014-15 season, Oesterle has scored 19 goals and totaled 86 points over the course of a 10-year, 371-game career between five different franchises.
Andrew Peeke: Boston’s big add at the 2024 trade deadline, Peeke totaled two assists, along with 31 blocks and 44 hits, in 15 games with the B’s. He’ll be Boston’s stabilizing presence on the right side of their third pairing.
Alec Regula: A 6-foot-4 right shot, Regula put up four goals and 26 points, along with a fantastic plus-36 rating, in 55 games with Providence a season ago.
Billy Sweezey: A native of Hanson, Mass., Sweezey is most known for his physicality, and has racked up 39 hits and 20 blocked shots in nine NHL games, all of which came with the Blue Jackets during the 2022-23 season.
Parker Wotherspoon: It was a slow start but a strong finish for the fearless Wotherspoon in 2023-24, with eight assists and 84 hits in 41 games for the Bruins.
Nikita Zadorov: Inked to a six-year, $30 million contract, Zadorov posted six goals and 20 points in 75 games between Calgary and Vancouver a year ago. Penalties have been a problem for the 6-foot-6 Zadorov throughout his career, but the Russian-born defenseman has made noticeable strides in his puck-playing skills over the last few years, and projects to be a left-side do-it-all for the Bruins.
Goalies
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 16: Joonas Korpisalo #70 of the Ottawa Senators warms up prior to a game against the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden on April 16, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Rich Gagnon/Getty Images)
Ryan Bischel: Bischel is joining the B’s organization as their next project following a strong college career at Notre Dame. As a fifth-year talent for the Irish in 2023-24, Bischel posted a 15-19-2 record with a .924 save percentage. Bischel’s .924 save percentage was tied for the fifth-best mark among all NCAA goaltenders, while his 1,112 saves were the most in college hockey, and with a 58-save lead over the second-place goaltender.
Brandon Bussi: The 26-year-old Bussi will either make the B’s NHL roster out of training camp or hit the complete unknown that is the league’s waiver wire. That’s a pressure-packed situation for the 6-foot-5 netminder, but it’s also the kind of ‘iron sharpens the iron’ approach that the Bruins like. Bussi posted a 23-10-5 record and .913 save percentage in 41 games for Providence a year ago.
Michael DiPietro: Acquired in the 2022 trade that sent Jack Studnicka to Vancouver, DiPietro has posted a 19-9-2 record and .919 save percentage over two seasons of work with the P-Bruins.
Joonas Korpisalo: Picked up in the Ullmark trade, the Bruins are taking one hell of a gamble on Joonas Korpisalo. On their books at $3 million per year for the next four seasons, the Bruins will look to repair Korpisalo after a disastrous Ottawa run that included a woeful .890 save percentage and 3.27 goals against average. Both his .890 and 3.27 were the worst figures among a group of 20 NHL goalies with at least 50 games played in 2023-24, and his -16.1 goals saved above expected was the second-worst figure in the NHL, trailing only the Blackhawks’ Arvid Soderblom (-18.2).
Nolan Maier: Signed to a one-year AHL contract, the 23-year-old Maier posted a 15-18-6 record and .903 save percentage in 40 games with ECHL Reading a year ago, and stopped 29-of-30 shots in his lone AHL appearance for Lehigh Valley.
