April 4, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (1) watches against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period at PNC Arena. Mandatory Photo Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
If you’ve ever walked down a street in Boston and wondered if that was the Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman who just raced past you on roller skates, the answer is almost certainly “yes.”
But on Sunday, Swayman was on a different bike: He hopped on a bicycle and took part in the team relay race of the 2024 Columbia Threadneedle Investments Boston Triathlon.
“Alaska has a lot of racing events, whether it’s triathlons, marathons, or mountain climbs. So I grew up in that community,” the ever-smiling Swayman, whose mother was a cyclist, told me after a rainy ride in Southie. “In Alaska, I was able to be pretty close to that, which I didn’t get to experience in Boston. When I met Michael O’Neil (the president of the Boston Triathlon), we immediately developed a pretty natural friendship, and he was kind enough to allow me to compete.”
And while it was easy to lose sight of Swayman in a sea of determined athletes emptying the bucket in front of friends and family at this weekend’s event in Carson Beach, this was just the latest foray into the “Summer of Sway,” which saw Swayman spend the entire offseason in Boston.
“I think the main thing I wanted to accomplish this summer was obviously to train really well and immerse myself in the community as much as possible,” said Swayman, whose relay team at this year’s Boston Triathlon included David Wichmann, co-founder of Human Powered Health. “They’re so kind to me and being here all year is really special. Doing events like this, getting out and competing in different running events. But this is my way of giving back and showing my love for the community.”
Since he is in town all summer (Swayman described his decision not to go home this summer as “tough”), Swayman has to really In his new home is a new contract with the Bruins. And the 25-year-old doesn’t seem to be worried about that, even if the talks drag on until mid-August.
“I love it (in Boston) and that’s all I can control and I know that,” Swayman told 98.5 The Sports Hub. “I have complete faith in my agent and I know it will work out eventually.”
And Swayman, whatever that means, has been skating and working at Warrior Ice Arena whenever possible (that includes early mornings, by the way, even after competing in the Boston Triathlon). And even without an official contract, he’s regularly worked closely with Bruins head coach Kevin Neeld and assistant coach Tim Lebbossier. And when Warrior wasn’t available or those guys were busy, Swayman has worked with Ken Whittier at Boston University.
“I knew if I wanted to be an elite-level goalie, I had to train at an elite level year-round, and Boston offers that,” Swayman told me. “And that’s something that attracted me to Boston. I’ve been able to immerse myself more and more in the community every year and feel more rooted in this community.”
Given the awkward nature of the arbitration hearing between Swayman and the Bruins last year and the fact that this topic came up multiple times during the 2023-24 season, I wanted to know what the relationship is like and whether Swayman himself is “better mentally” now than he was in 2023.
“That’s me,” Swayman told me. “I believe that experience is the key to everything and to getting through things.”
“I’m gaining just as much experience now as I did last year, with very different approaches. And we know it’s a business. Sometimes it’s unfortunate, but I know that at the end of the day I’m going to play hockey. And I really hope it’s the Boston Bruins.”
When asked if he was interested in a long-term contract and wanted to avoid a “bridge deal,” Swayman declined to go into detail, saying instead that was a question for his agent.
“Right now I’m focused on being a triathlete,” Swayman joked.
But as he’s made clear from the start, Swayman can’t imagine (and frankly doesn’t want to, both from what it sounds like and from what he’s done this summer) playing anywhere else.
“And I tell you what, man, when I’m on the ice at the Garden, all I want to do is save pucks for this city,” Swayman said.
Now it remains to be seen whether Sunday’s bike ride will help him in what has become a kind of triathlon negotiation.
Ty Anderson is the friendly, straight-edge neighborhood guy from 98.5 The Sports Hub. Ty has been covering the Bruins (and other Boston teams) since 2010, has been a member of PHWA since 2013, has been around your radio schedule from left to right, and joined The Sports Hub in 2018. Ty also writes about all things New England sports, from Patriots football to the Boston Celtics and Boston Red Sox.
