BOSTON (AP) 鈥� Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney is ready to go with a goaltender rotation again next season 鈥� 鈥渋f we can make the math work.鈥�
Sweeney said Wednesday his priority this summer is to sign goalie Jeremy Swayman to an extension, preferably avoiding the arbitration process that left the 25-year-old Alaskan embittered last summer.
鈥淚t鈥檚 clearly a priority, and Jeremy knows,鈥� Sweeney said at the end-of-season media availability with the team鈥檚 front office. 鈥淗e鈥檚 a big part of our current team and our future.鈥�
After serving as the No. 2 to V茅zina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark in Boston鈥檚 , Swayman failed to come to terms on a long-term contract last summer and was awarded a $3.475 million contract. His reaction: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to do it ever again.鈥�
This season, Swayman was 43-25-10 with a 2.53 goals-against average while alternating with Ullmark during the regular season. The plan was to do the same in the playoffs; after Ullmark lost Game 2 of the first-round series against Toronto, Swayman started the rest of the way, going 6-6 with a 2.15 GAA.
鈥淚鈥檓 a little disappointed still that we鈥檙e not playing,鈥� Bruins president Cam Neely said Wednesday, five days after Boston was in six games in the Eastern Conference semifinals. 鈥淏ut I鈥檓 excited about the off-season.鈥�
A year after being named the NHL's top goalie, Ullmark went 39-22-10 with a 2.57 GAA in the regular season. He is scheduled to make $5 million next season and has said he would like to remain in Boston.
鈥淚f we can make the math work, we鈥檙e going to have the best tandem. If we can鈥檛, we鈥檙e going to explore,鈥� Sweeney said, adding that Ullmark could change his mind and ask to be traded somewhere where he could play more.
鈥淩ight now, he鈥檚 really happy. We were very happy to sign Linus. And in a perfect world, we would keep the tandem, because I think it鈥檚 damn good,鈥� Sweeney said. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e going to explore opportunities. My phone鈥檚 going to ring. I鈥檓 going to make calls. That鈥檚 just what the job requires.鈥�
Sweeney said the goaltender logjam is not a problem to be solved as much as an opportunity to be mined. Once Swayman is signed, the team will consider whether it can afford to spend upwards of $10 million on goalies or make a trade to shore up other areas of need.
鈥淥ur goaltending is arguably one of the best tandems in the National Hockey League. And, they proved that during the course of the season,鈥� Sweeney said. 鈥淭hey put us in a situation most nights to have an opportunity to win.鈥�
Meanwhile, CEO Charlie Jacobs said at the news conference that Sweeney, Neely and Montgomery have ownership鈥檚 complete confidence. Montgomery said there were no plans for changes on the coaching staff.
Sweeney said he was pleased with Brad Marchand鈥檚 first year as captain, saying the player who was known around the NHL as a face-licking troublemaker grew into the role.
鈥淓verybody knows Brad鈥檚 personality. He鈥檚 going to look to embrace everything and shoulder everything he possibly can. 鈥� Everything is sort of amplified with Brad, which is such a positive attribute of his,鈥� Sweeney said, adding that Marchand learned to incorporate other voices in the locker room as well.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 indicative of a guy who was growing into leadership,鈥� Sweeney said. 鈥淣ot feeling like he has to suffocate the room, that it鈥檚 an extension of what he鈥檚 trying to accomplish as a leader himself.鈥�
Neely also commented on the team's record-setting seven penalties for too many men on the ice during the playoffs.
鈥淪even is a lot. There鈥檚 no question. You鈥檝e got to kill off 14 minutes of penalties that you shouldn't be taking,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 mean, one or two you can understand. But there鈥檚 clearly some miscommunication. 鈥� Seven is way too many to have happened, there鈥檚 no question about it.鈥�
___
AP NHL playoffs: and
Jimmy Golen, The Associated Press
