Jeremy Swayman #1 of the Boston Bruins (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
By all accounts, the Boston Bruins remain steadfast in their faith in goalie Jeremy Swayman. However, there’s speculation that may not prevent Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman from still picking up the phone and asking Bruins general manager Don Sweeney about his No. 1 goalie.
An NHL source confirmed to RG Media that if Bowman were to do that, it would not be the first time the Oilers have expressed interest in the 26-year-old Bruins goalie, who signed an eight-year, $66 million contract with the Bruins last Oct. 6.
“They weren’t the only ones who had inquired about Swayman, but yes, I was told they poked around,” the source told RG.
As contract talks between Swayman and the Bruins dragged on last offseason and eventually went down to the wire, teams were checking in with the Bruins to notify them of their interest in their star goalie should talks ever reach the point of no return. According to this source, though, the answer was always the same.
“Sweeney consistently said, ‘No’ or ‘Don’t bother; we’re going to sign him,’ and he made it clear how much they valued Swayman,” the source said.
That same source was also told that before Linus Ullmark was traded to the Ottawa Senators last June 26, teams expressed interest in Swayman as they tried to decipher which way Sweeney would go when he inevitably split up his dynamic goaltending duo of Swayman and Ullmark. The Colorado Avalanche, Seattle Kraken, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers are also teams this source heard looked into Swayman’s trade availability at the time.
Swayman wound up having a brutal first season of his new contract, as he went 22-29-7 with a 3.11 GAA and .892 save percentage. According to this source, Swayman’s poor season had other teams wondering about his status again as the March 7 NHL trade deadline approached. However, Swayman was not one of the core players moved when Sweeney stunned the hockey world leading into the deadline by trading away Trent Frederic, Charlie Coyle, Brandon Carlo and captain Brad Marchand.
“Lots of guys were wondering again on Swayman, but the message was clear: the Bruins hadn’t lost faith in him,” another source told RG.
Goaltending at Center of Oilers’ Plans
Goaltending once again was an issue for the Edmonton Oilers in their second straight Stanley Cup Final loss to the Florida Panthers. Neither Oilers goalie—Stuart Skinner (.899) nor Calvin Pickard (.886)—finished the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a save percentage above .900.
Speaking to the media this past Thursday, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid was noncommittal about his future in Edmonton after another difficult loss to the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.
“We’re holding this together, trying to get it over the finish line,” McDavid said at a press conference Thursday when asked if and when he would be signing a contract extension.
“With that being said, ultimately I still need to do what’s best for me and my family, and that’s who you have to take care of first.”
On Friday, Bowman flat-out said goaltending will be a focal point for improving his roster.
“The defense will have the least number of changes,” Bowman told the media. “I like how they played. The forwards and goalies are where we will have some changes.”
With that, there is now plenty of trade speculation building around the Oilers. With Swayman not having trade protection until July 1, 2026, will the Oilers circle back on him?
With 24 years of experience (SiriusXM NHL Network Radio, ESPN Boston, NESN, NHL.com, etc.) covering the Bruins, the NHL, NCAA and junior hockey, and more, Jimmy Murphy’s hockey black book is filled with Hall of Famers, current players, coaches, management, scouts and a wide array of hockey media personalities that have lived in and around this great game. For 22 of his 24 years as a hockey and sports reporter, Murphy covered the Bruins on a daily basis, including their victorious 2011 Stanley Cup run and their runs to the 2013 and 2019 Finals. Murphy is currently a co-host, along with Pierre McGuire, on The Eye Test Podcast.
