Buyer’s remorse. It’s a feeling we’ve all experienced at least once in our lives. But the Boston Bruins? They may just be experiencing it on a colossal scale right now. Their playoff hopes in the NHL have all but dissipated, and now many are wondering whether they made the right choice last offseason with their goalies. Linus Ullmark of the Senators performed masterfully in their 6-3 win against his former club, while Jeremy Swayman continued to struggle. That contrast has sparked a fiery debate among fans—did the Bruins make the right goalie choice last offseason?
It’s not just one bad night in Ottawa. Swayman has a 20-21-6 record with a .899 SV% and a 2.98 GAA. Down from last season when he and Ullmark dominated the league and he posted a .916 SV% and 2.53 GAA. In contrast, these are Linus Ullmark’s numbers: .912 SV% and 2.68 GAA this season. It’s no wonder that questions are being asked about whether they made a misstep—particularly with Ullmark’s strong performance in Ottawa. But was it the wrong call, or is there something more at play here?
The Ullmark signing was as financially driven as it was strategically. With last year’s tandem of elite goalies, Boston was able to rotate starts with two of them. But as cap space became a concern, they chose to sign Jeremy Swayman in the hope his youth and potential would pan out into him becoming a cornerstone for the franchise.
Swayman’s numbers this season are different. A .882 save percentage for three consecutive games is not elite-level work, and Boston’s .896 cumulative save percentage is only 21st in the league—a far cry from last year’s dominance. Ullmark has been dominant in the meantime, even making one of his old teammates watch in horror with a highlight-worthy stop against them in their most recent encounter.
COLUMN: After watching Linus Ullmark badly outplay Jeremy Swayman in last night’s Bruins loss to the Senators, it is more than fair to ask if the B’s chose the wrong goalie last summer to keep around for the long haul https://t.co/oLvCfX9ygz
— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) March 15, 2025
But this is more than statistics. Swayman’s leadership has been the focus, especially in a room that lost Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and other core veterans in recent years. He’s taken the opportunity and said, “I’m lucky to be a goalie because we’re natural leaders and we have the heartbeat of the team.” Whether that translates into the consistent play Boston needs to stay in the mix is the question.
The Bruins are not out but are left with a razor-thin margin for error. If Jeremy Swayman is not able to recover and Ullmark continues to thrive in Ottawa, this decision could come back to haunt Boston for years to come.
Did the Bruins make a mistake by retaining Jeremy Swayman?
The Ullmark-Swayman issue has the fanbase sharply polarized. There are those who are convinced Boston made the wrong call: “100% wrong choice,” one simply said. Another referenced the recent struggles of the team and said: “You nailed it. Swayman is the main reason they’re missing the playoffs. (not saying it all on him.) Thursday night’s game was must win. Swayman couldn’t get past the first period; Ullmark stood on his head. Wish I could see Marchand play with Middlestat.” Quite the scathing assessment. But is it really fair to put all the blame on Jeremy Swayman when the entire team has struggled this year?
Others are disputing that account, reminding people why Ullmark was traded in the first place. A supporter wrote, “The problem wasn’t the greatness of Ulmark, It was more about the greatness in the playoffs or the lack there of, Swayman showed up in the playoffs. We can’t forget the age differential. Also, my gut feeling, Swayman will show up next year ready to go. The team will be ready also” Looking at Swayman’s playoff stats, one wouldn’t fault the organization as he posted a 2.15 GAA and .933 SV% last playoffs, while Ullmark only managed a 3.90 GAA and .886 SV%. Markedly inferior numbers.
However, even some of Swayman’s defenders would now say they’re rethinking the trade.” I wanted to keep Ullmark, but most people laughed at me. Hope Swayman turns it around next year. But I still think we should have kept Ullmark and traded Swayman”. That sentiment has only grown stronger with Boston’s playoff hopes evaporating.
Ultimately, the debate won’t be settled until the final standings are determined. If Boston doesn’t qualify for the playoffs, the front office’s decision to sign Swayman to his new deal will be scrutinized even more. If he turns it around, the Bruins front office may find themselves justified in their decision.
Boston took a calculated risk in making Swayman their number one goalie, but it is not panning out for them at the moment. Whether that is something that will be reversed in the future remains to be seen, but Jeremy Swayman does have age on his side. Meanwhile, Linus Ullmark is thriving in Ottawa, prompting one to wonder: Did Boston act too hastily in moving on?
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