And Bruins fans balked because they were worried it would be closer to $4M.

Did they even try to sign him?
- Nasty_Duck

They probably didn’t. I’m guessing Sweeney wanted to go in a different direction.

Hard to count Miller - as he was injured more often than not.
And Forbert at 6'4 219lbs is more than a replacement for Lauzon.

But I do agree about those 2015 draft picks. Sweeney is hanging onto them as though his career depended on it.
- Nasty_Duck

My point is when Miller played there was a noticeable difference in the B’s so you have to get someone like him. Lauzon is a kid with upside and is already more physical and a better fighter the forbert. Just as good right now. So Sweeney talks about physical tough hockey but doesn’t have many players that fit that description. Bruins will play hard but have no one to answer the bell. Frederic is a kid who you didn’t even play in the playoffs, you going to leave it all to him. Hard to believe but the Leafs and Rangers are tougher. Almost as confusing as the goaltending moves which I will talk about next.

Explain why you give 5 million for 4 years to someone who has played about 40 NHL games. Then you say your still open to Rask coming back. Didn’t you just make Ullmark your #1 with that contract. What is Rask going to be his backup and sign for peanuts. On top of that you don’t wait to
see what you have in Swayman who might be legit. Should have signed Holtby for a year at 2million give Swayman a chance and fall back to Rask if they both fail. Now it’s play your new boy or sit a 5 million dollar player. He better be a# 1 . Feel bad for Swayman who is not going to get the chance to be the number 1. Sweeney is committed to his 5 million dollar goalie even though Swayman might be better. He is not going to sit someone he just gave that contract to .

Explain why you give 5 million for 4 years to someone who has played about 40 NHL games. Then you say your still open to Rask coming back. Didn’t you just make Ullmark your #1 with that contract. What is Rask going to be his backup and sign for peanuts. On top of that you don’t wait to
see what you have in Swayman who might be legit. Should have signed Holtby for a year at 2million give Swayman a chance and fall back to Rask if they both fail. Now it’s play your new boy or sit a 5 million dollar player. He better be a# 1 . Feel bad for Swayman who is not going to get the chance to be the number 1. Sweeney is committed to his 5 million dollar goalie even though Swayman might be better. He is not going to sit someone he just gave that contract to .
- johnnypie

I dont really understand the contract he got to be honest but he is a young goalie.... who has played 120 games in the NHL and posted a .914 save percentage on one of the worst teams in the league. Swayman will get plenty of opportunity to play but if you don't sign a NHL goalie this offseason. Goaltending would be a major question mark.

I dont really understand the contract he got to be honest but he is a young goalie.... who has played 120 games in the NHL and posted a .914 save percentage on one of the worst teams in the league. Swayman will get plenty of opportunity to play but if you don't sign a NHL goalie this offseason. Goaltending would be a major question mark.
- Mahewman

Sorry I was wrong about the number of games but wasn’t impressed with the overall numbers and no important pressure games . He might be a #1 but why hand him the spot. Sweeney gave him big money and term and you think Swayman is going to get plenty of opportunity. So he is going to keep his 5 million dollar man on the bench as a backup ? And the Rask thing makes no sense. Your right about needing a veteran but there were plenty out there for a lot cheaper and no term. And then you have the Rask possibility if Swayman didn’t develop. Now Sweeney anointed his number one . Fukkin jerk. Feel bad for Swayman he showed real potential and now has no shot at being the guy. Was no reason to give Ullmark that contract unless you think Swayman is not as good as he looked. I mean Sweeney shows no respect for his potential unlike his POTENTIAL stars from the 2015 first round.

do you like the way Sweeney has not done anything about replacing the tough physical players no longer in the lineup ? How about the defense is that a Cup worthy group . With the money he spent where’s the beef.

Sorry I was wrong about the number of games but wasn’t impressed with the overall numbers and no important pressure games . He might be a #1 but why hand him the spot. Sweeney gave him big money and term and you think Swayman is going to get plenty of opportunity. So he is going to keep his 5 million dollar man on the bench as a backup ? And the Rask thing makes no sense. Your right about needing a veteran but there were plenty out there for a lot cheaper and no term. And then you have the Rask possibility if Swayman didn’t develop. Now Sweeney anointed his number one . Fukkin jerk. Feel bad for Swayman he showed real potential and now has no shot at being the guy. Was no reason to give Ullmark that contract unless you think Swayman is not as good as he looked. I mean Sweeney shows no respect for his potential unlike his POTENTIAL stars from the 2015 first round.
- johnnypie

Swayman has played a solid 10 games so far and before that you had no idea what his name was. I liked him just as much as the next guy last year but I am pretty positive the Bruins brass have a better grip on what his potential is than we do.

He was drafted in the 4th round, four years ago. Sweeney showed him respect by trading Vladar. If they don't trade Vladar, you wouldn't see Swayman in the NHL until someone got hurt.

I truly dont know what you are crying about. IF Swayman wins the job, he will be the starter. Bruins pretty much split the regular season with goalies starts anyways.

Also, Ullmark has significantly better numbers than Holtby over the last 4 years and has played for far worse of a team. Holtby gave up close to 4 goals a game last year. That is horrendous.

Swayman has played a solid 10 games so far and before that you had no idea what his name was. I liked him just as much as the next guy last year but I am pretty positive the Bruins brass have a better grip on what his potential is than we do.

He was drafted in the 4th round, four years ago. Sweeney showed him respect by trading Vladar. If they don't trade Vladar, you wouldn't see Swayman in the NHL until someone got hurt.

I truly dont know what you are crying about. IF Swayman wins the job, he will be the starter. Bruins pretty much split the regular season with goalies starts anyways.

Also, Ullmark has significantly better numbers than Holtby over the last 4 years and has played for far worse of a team. Holtby gave up close to 4 goals a game last year. That is horrendous.
- Mahewman

Not crying about anything but I am saying there were better options then giving 5 million over 4 years to a goalie who never played a playoff game or any pressure games before seeing what you have in Swayman. Guess he can’t be a stud since he is a 4th round pick but Ullmark a 6th round pick is the real deal. And if you believe Swayman gets the same opportunity after the bruins sign a goalie for big money you better think again. Sweeney isn’t going to quickly have his big money goalie become a backup. Just common sense . And Sweeney has shown to have a real grip on potential at times.

Swayman has played a solid 10 games so far and before that you had no idea what his name was. I liked him just as much as the next guy last year but I am pretty positive the Bruins brass have a better grip on what his potential is than we do.

He was drafted in the 4th round, four years ago. Sweeney showed him respect by trading Vladar. If they don't trade Vladar, you wouldn't see Swayman in the NHL until someone got hurt.

I truly dont know what you are crying about. IF Swayman wins the job, he will be the starter. Bruins pretty much split the regular season with goalies starts anyways.

Also, Ullmark has significantly better numbers than Holtby over the last 4 years and has played for far worse of a team. Holtby gave up close to 4 goals a game last year. That is horrendous.
- Mahewman

Oh I don't know. I think Swayman was ahead of Vladar on the depth chart if for no other reason than this past season's results. Swayman may have been a 4th rounder but he went to Maine which has a pretty good track record of producing good goalies of late (Bishop, Howard) and Swayman did win the Richter award.

Not crying about anything but I am saying there were better options then giving 5 million over 4 years to a goalie who never played a playoff game or any pressure games before seeing what you have in Swayman. Guess he can’t be a stud since he is a 4th round pick but Ullmark a 6th round pick is the real deal. And if you believe Swayman gets the same opportunity after the bruins sign a goalie for big money you better think again. Sweeney isn’t going to quickly have his big money goalie become a backup. Just common sense . And Sweeney has shown to have a real grip on potential at times.
- johnnypie

So do you agree that Ullmark should have better stats playing for the Bruins vs. the Sabers (where his stats were pretty good already). So let's fast forward to trade deadline time and Rask is back looking like Rask and Swayman has continued to impress. So how much trade value does Ullmark provide to you now at his not overpriced contract? Not saying that is what is going to happen, but at the same time it's not out of the realm of possibility.

So do you agree that Ullmark should have better stats playing for the Bruins vs. the Sabers (where his stats were pretty good already). So let's fast forward to trade deadline time and Rask is back looking like Rask and Swayman has continued to impress. So how much trade value does Ullmark provide to you now at his not overpriced contract? Not saying that is what is going to happen, but at the same time it's not out of the realm of possibility.
- bluemoon737

problem is that at 5 mil 4 years it is overpriced and I think it has a NMC. Sorry but this is a commitment to Ullmark that you are our no # 1. They would not sign him to that contract with the notion to trade him. Again my point is not that he can't be a number one but that you had the ability to see if you already had a young stud goalie without using major cap space. Bottom line Sweeney didn't have confidence in Swayman being a number one . Don't know what else the kid could have shown. Last year they said he saved the year when Rask and Halek were hurt. This year the sign a goalie to big money and term. How dumb is Sweeney going to look if he has Ullmark on the bench with that contract. Not going to happen. Didn't give his potential a chance, limited belief. Funny he still shows belief in players that are 7 years removed from draft day. Still believe you drafted two scoring wingers and a top defensemen. Get real .

Oh I don't know. I think Swayman was ahead of Vladar on the depth chart if for no other reason than this past season's results. Swayman may have been a 4th rounder but he went to Maine which has a pretty good track record of producing good goalies of late (Bishop, Howard) and Swayman did win the Richter award.
- bluemoon737

Vladar had a one way contract so he would have to go on waivers to go back to the AHL. Trading him allows the Bruins to have Swayman up as the back up.

problem is that at 5 mil 4 years it is overpriced and I think it has a NMC. Sorry but this is a commitment to Ullmark that you are our no # 1. They would not sign him to that contract with the notion to trade him. Again my point is not that he can't be a number one but that you had the ability to see if you already had a young stud goalie without using major cap space. Bottom line Sweeney didn't have confidence in Swayman being a number one . Don't know what else the kid could have shown. Last year they said he saved the year when Rask and Halek were hurt. This year the sign a goalie to big money and term. How dumb is Sweeney going to look if he has Ullmark on the bench with that contract. Not going to happen. Didn't give his potential a chance, limited belief. Funny he still shows belief in players that are 7 years removed from draft day. Still believe you drafted two scoring wingers and a top defensemen. Get real .
- johnnypie

Not sure where you are seeing there is no confidence in Swayman. He's going to be one of the two goalies playing for at least half the season. Our goalie total outlay is almost half of what it has been for the last couple of years with Rask/Halak. With those two the game split was what, about 60/40? But what was the salary differential...about 6 to 1? You play the goalie that gives you the best chance to win the game regardless of salary. Swayman is going to get plenty of opportunity to prove the very small sample last year was not a fluke. If it wasn't and he outplayed Ullmark guess what, he's your #1 and Ullmark is an expensive backup but again your total goalie outlay is significantly less than most teams...I would say most teams would be jealous at that point and not mocking Sweeney for "overpaying" his backup.
I guess we will agree to disagree, I'm perfectly fine with the signing.

Vladar had a one way contract so he would have to go on waivers to go back to the AHL. Trading him allows the Bruins to have Swayman up as the back up.
- Mahewman

Boys. Who are the guys that will be protecting This Team. ? Some reason people hated Ritchie for the past 2 seasons but he did keep guys honest. Losing Miller, Ritchie & Lauzon at the same time is a hit. ?

Boys. Who are the guys that will be protecting This Team. ? Some reason people hated Ritchie for the past 2 seasons but he did keep guys honest. Losing Miller, Ritchie & Lauzon at the same time is a hit. ?
- BruinBlood

That’s probably why I’m picking on Sweeney I can’t take a Bruin team with no body to answer the bell. It’s been part of every successful team and it’s in our heritage. Have followed them from the 60’s and it’s been our identity and a source of pride for most of the time. Ullmark is going to be a good goaltender and the other signings are players that can help but all our good toughest players are gone with no replacement. Not happy about that.