What Jeremy Swayman’s Contract Means For Bruins’ Future

The Boston Bruins locked up Jeremy Swayman for the long haul when the Original Six franchise signed the goalie to a lucrative eight-year deal on Sunday morning.

Even though Swayman didn't report to Bruins' training camp two weeks ago, the Maine Black Bear admitted he stayed sharp by getting some workouts in with former Hockey East rival Boston University Terriers.

"I'm a Black Bear, a through-and-through Black Bear," Swayman told reporters at Warrior Ice Arena, as seen on NESN. "But, I couldn't have done it without BU. ... I was there every day as soon as camp started. They gave me an oasis to completely escape the outside world. ... They provided me a great training place to keep my game sharp throughout the entire process. I could not have done it without them. Even though I'm a Black Bear through and through, I'm an honorary Terrier."

Given that Swayman will be manning the net for the Black and Gold for the foreseeable future, what exactly does that mean for the Bruins' future? It's pretty simple, really. It means Boston has a cornerstone player at every position, except center, nailed down for the long haul, with Swayman being locked up for the entirety of his prime.

Swayman is coming off one of the best seasons of his young career, and he had a momentous playoff run to cap it off. He posted a .916 save percentage and a 2.53 goals-against average in 44 games for Boston with a 25-10-8 record. In the postseason, Swayman elevated his game when the Bruins needed him most with a .933 save percentage and a 2.15 goals-against average.

The 25-year-old Alaskan native has one goal in mind since signing the new contract -- to win a title with Boston.

"The motivation is a Stanley Cup ... that's all I care about," Swayman said. "I can guarantee you that this step and chapter in my career is going to motivate me above and beyond what I've had before.

"The end goal is to win a Stanley Cup and I believe that this is a group that can do it and have shots at it for many years. Every year I'm a part of it I'm going to make sure that's a reality. Just beyond grateful to be in this position."