In a press conference on Monday where Cam Neely let months of frustration bubble to the surface, the Bruins president unearthed a sliver of optimism.
With the start of regular-season play then just eight days away, Jeremy Swayman remained without a contract — and off the ice for Boston. But Neely stressed that the Bruins’ talented, 25-year-old netminder would eventually don a black-and-gold sweater this season.
“I strongly believe that Jeremy wants to play here,” Neely said. “I’ve asked him flat-out, ‘Do you want to play here?’ And he does. I believe that we’ll get a deal done.”
After an eventful Monday evening, one has to wonder if Swayman still holds that same staunch affinity for the Original Six franchise.
Just a few hours after Swayman’s agent, Lewis Gross, issued a scathing statement toward the Bruins and Neely about the validity of claims about a $64 million offer, longtime NHL insider Elliotte Friedman further taxed the collective cardiac integrity of Boston’s fanbase.
“The next move is the goalie’s,” Friedman reported on Sportsnet Monday night. “When Lewis Gross states he and his client ‘will take a few days to discuss where we go from here,’ they are calling timeout. They are making sure to avoid rash decisions they will regret.”