PLYMOUTH– The Boston Bruins have enjoyed a luxury over the last two decades that many teams can barely achieve from one season to another. Regardless of who it’s been between the pipes, Boston always seems to have consistently reliable goaltending, churning out one elite-level netminder after another like a factory. However, after trading former Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators earlier this summer, the Bruins, for once, have a bit of uncertainty at the goalie position entering the upcoming year, especially while Ullmark’s likely successor, Jeremy Swayman , is still without a contract.
But even when–or if–Swayman does sign what is expected to be a lucrative contract with the Bruins, he then has to live up to it. Although Swayman has some of the best odds to add Vezina to his trophy case this year, he has never had to carry the workload of a starting goalie. While most starting goalies play approximately 55-60 games per season, Swayman has never had to appear in more than 41, as he’s split time with Ullmark throughout his career.
The two were arguably the best tandem in the NHL while minding the crease together for Boston, but now, Swayman must stand alone. “Being a starting goalie in the NHL isn’t about playing well for a couple of days. It’s about fighting your way out of a bad week,” former Bruins goalie Andrew Raycroft said of Swayman while attending the team’s Fan Fest on Sunday.
“He hasn’t had to do that yet, so it’ll be a little bit different, but he’s going to do it. He’s going to figure it out, and that will be exciting. It’s great that the Bruins have a guy like that.
” Raycroft played in 280 games during his 11-year career and was the first in the long line of quality goaltenders the Bruins have developed since the turn of the century. Now working as an analyst for NESN , Raycroft has had an up-close look at Swayman. Not only does he see the potential in Swayman, but he knows many others do as well.
“You talk to the guys that were around when he came up, and they all say they knew he had ‘it,’ whatever ‘it’ is, right away,” Raycroft said. “I know, from former players to guys who are playing now, they all have 100% confidence in his ability to be the leader of this team and take over. You guys know his character and his personality.
That’s who he is in real life. He’s going to work as hard as anyone.” Swayman’s best work came in last year’s playoffs when he put up a .
933 save percentage and a 2.15 goals-against average in 12 starts for the Bruins. It was then that he officially took over the reins as the starter from Ullmark, and is part of the reason why he’s among the favorites to win the Vezina this season.
But just as he was for Ullmark, Swayman will need to have strong support from his backup, which appears to be Joonas Koprisalo, who the Bruins acquired as part of the package from Ottawa in the Ullmark trade . Korpisalo, 30, was dreadful in what was an overall horrendous campaign for the Senators last season, with a .890 save percentage and 3.
27 GAA in 55 starts. As bad as those numbers are, Raycroft doesn’t think they’re indicative of what Korpisalo will bring to the Bruins. “I think [Korpisalo] is going to be really helpful and a good partner for Sway,” said Raycroft.
“He had good stretches in LA and with Columbus at different times. He’s got the talent. I really don’t put a lot into what happened in Ottawa last year because they were so bad.
” The Fin is the latest reclamation project the Bruins have taken on. The team has brought in several goalies over the years after they underachieved elsewhere beforehand. That includes Ullmark, who, prior to arriving in Boston, spent the first five seasons of his career stopping pucks for the perpetually suffering Buffalo Sabres.
If Bruins goalie coach Bob Essena can do with Korpisalo as he did with all the others before, it’ll be just the latest model off the line from the Bruins factory of goaltending. “You have to imagine, after guys like Anton Khudobin, Jonas Gustavsson, Manny Fernandez, you could go all the way back, that these second guys who have come in here to rehab themselves have all done pretty well,” Raycroft said. “I think that goalie Bob and this team have a track record that you should be positive about.
” This article first appeared on Boston Hockey Now and was syndicated with permission..
