The Boston Bruins are officially in the second half of their season, having played 43 games at the time of this writing. So far, it is safe to call the 2023-24 campaign a success, as they have a 26-8-9 record and are at the top of the Atlantic Division. Given how the club has played, it is quite possible they will look to keep around a few of their pending unrestricted free agents (UFA) past this season. Therefore, contract extensions could certainly be on the agenda, so let’s discuss the three top candidates who could receive one now.
Jeremy Swayman
Jeremy Swayman is, without a doubt, the Bruins’ top extension candidate. Since becoming eligible for one at the start of the new year, there has been a ton of talk about the Bruins’ interest in signing him to one. For example, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan recently had this to say on the matter:
“The depressed goalie market should get moving closer to the trade deadline. Some have wondered whether the Boston Bruins would deal away either Linus Ullmark or Jeremy Swayman, considering it’s an area of surplus for Boston and there’s such a thirst for goaltending around the league. From what I understand, that doesn’t seem like the path they’d choose during the season. In fact, Swayman was eligible for an extension on Jan. 1, and a few people have told me to expect that to get done soon.”
Emily Kaplan, ESPN
Given how wonderfully Swayman has played this season, getting him signed to an extension should be the Bruins’ biggest priority. In 24 appearances, he sports a 13-3-7 record, a 2.38 goals-against average (GAA), and a .922 save percentage (SV%). With that, he was recently voted into his first All-Star Game and is simply continuing to improve each and every season.
Swayman is the Bruins’ goalie of the future, and now is the time to get him signed to his big-boy, long-term contract. The Bruins will have more cap space to work with this offseason, and the Alaska native has been honest about his tough experience in arbitration last summer. As a result, Boston’s goal should be to get him locked up as soon as possible.
James van Riemsdyk
When the Bruins signed James van Riemsdyk to a cheap one-year deal in free agency, it was viewed as a low-risk, high-reward signing. The veteran winger had a tough season with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2022-23 (12 goals and 29 points in 61 games), and the hope was that he could have a bounce-back season on a much better Bruins team. Now, in mid-January, it is fair to say that it is a move that has paid off wonderfully for both the player and the team. In 39 games as a Bruin thus far, he has seven goals and 27 points.
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van Riemsdyk has been an outstanding fit in Jim Montgomery’s system. He has worked anywhere he has been placed in his lineup and has been particularly impactful as a net-front presence on the power play. Given how well he has played with the Bruins, they should seriously consider signing him to an extension. This is especially the case if he is open to signing for a cheaper dollar amount to stay with a legitimate contender like the Bruins.
With JVR being 34 years old, the Bruins could wait until the end of the season to decide his future in Beantown. Yet, if he continues to play so well over these next few months, perhaps a new deal for him could come before the postseason arrives.
Jake DeBrusk
Before the start of the 2023-24 season, Jake DeBrusk was viewed as the Bruins’ top contract extension. He had the best campaign of his career in 2022-23, posting 27 goals and setting new career highs with 50 points and a plus-26 rating. General manager (GM) Don Sweeney also said to reporters that he would like DeBrusk to stay in Boston past this season, while the 2015 first-round pick shared the same feelings. Yet, things have been very quiet on that front since the beginning of the season.
DeBrusk’s inconsistent 2023-24 season is likely the reason for it. From the beginning of the season to the Christmas break, he had just 11 points in his first 31 games. That naturally raised some red flags, but since then, his play has improved. In 11 games since after the break, he has five goals and four assists in 11 games. If he continues to produce offensively like this, it could help his chances of earning an extension.
Throughout his career, DeBrusk has been widely known for his hot and cold streaks. There’s no question that the talent is there when he’s on his game, but will his rough patches like the beginning of this season keep him from earning an extension? We will need to wait and see.
Nevertheless, the Bruins have some decisions to make when it comes to which players they are keeping around. Swayman is the no-brainer out of this trio, while there are reasons to consider keeping van Riemsdyk and DeBrusk. Time will tell if any of these three get a new deal before the season is over from here.