Rumors swirl as the Boston Bruins and Jeremy Swayman saga marches on, and many rumors involve the Detroit Red Wings as a possible dance partner.
The Boston Bruins and their star goaltender, Swayman, haven’t inked a contract as the regular season is almost upon us. It’s not a position that any team or player wants to find themselves in, but here they are.
Meanwhile, a second-line center, number-one defenseman, and number-one starter in net are three positions that have plagued the Detroit Red Wings for years.
The lack of a top goaltender may be the driving force behind the Detroit Red Wings and Swayman rumors. We know it’s not because general manager, Steve Yzerman, has shared anything, he’s a steel trap. Of course, it could be a scare tactic by the Boston Bruins to get Swayman to sign a new deal. The threat of backstopping the Detroit Red Wings is a scary thought.
We’ve seen countless careers, especially goaltenders, come to die in the Motor City, only for their careers to revive elsewhere (or the player retires) except for Jonathan Bernier. Although, his career was never quite the same after his stop in Detroit, Michigan.
The Detroit Red Wings tend to find a goaltender through trade (except for Alex Lyon; poor fella came willingly), so that may be another reason the Detroit Red Wings have been linked to the Boston Bruins and Swayman. They also have the assets to send back to the Boston Bruins (few teams have that luxury).
One of the driving forces behind these swirling rumors includes the following:
Have the Bruins discussed trade options at the round table??? What would be your trade proposals? This is getting to the level of no repair. Ducks are loaded with prospects. Detroit stacked too. Let’s go internet GM’s.
— Paul Bissonnette (@BizNasty2point0) September 30, 2024
Detroit Red Wings: To trade for or not to trade for Jeremy Swayman?
While I like the idea of having a goaltender like Swayman join the Detroit Red Wings, I’m apprehensive about the cost of acquiring him.
The Boston Bruins already traded away one of their prime goaltenders, Linus Ullmark. It wasn’t a terrible trade, especially for the Ottawa Senators, who locked up a star goaltender for years to come. It’s likely the next trade, if it happens for Swayman, won’t come so easily.
At the same time, the Detroit Red Wings have meticulously crafted their pipeline. It would sting to trade any of those prospects away. At the same time, development in prospects is far from a science. It’s more of an art and luck if things work out perfectly (or even well). Having an opportunity to acquire an NHL-proven talent like Swayman doesn’t come around often.