PWH Morning Skate: Boston Bruins Arbitration Cases Coming Into Focus
Salary numbers looking pretty locked in for both Swayman, Frederic ahead of hearing dates
While the Boston Bruins still have two arbitration dates on the docket for Jeremy Swayman and Trent Frederic, the picture is clearing up as to how much they may be on the hook for if it gets to a hearing for the two players.
It’s cleared up based on comparable players that have now gone through the arbitration process this month and have set the framework for market value for the unsigned Boston restricted free agents. These arbitration decisions can’t be used in the actual hearings should the team and the players end up there, but it should create a pathway for both sides to get something done for Swayman and Frederic.
Swayman’s comparable is Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Ilya Samsonov, who was awarded a one-year, $3.55 million contract for the upcoming season after posting a 27-10-5 record with a .919 save percentage and 2.33 GAA last season. Swayman posted a similar 24-6-4 with a .920 save percentage and a 2.27 GAA for the Bruins while sharing time with Linus Ullmark, almost identical numbers to Samsonov.
Similarly, Chicago Blackhawks forward Philipp Kurashev was awarded a one-year, $2.25 million contract in arbitration, a player that is comparable to Trent Frederic in most respects even if they are different kinds of forwards from a playing style perspective. Frederic is coming off a career-best 17 goals and 31 points last season and has an NHL career .27 points per game average.
The 23-year-old Kurashev had nine goals and 25 points last season and sports a .32 points per game average during his time with the Blackhawks.
You can’t find much better precedent-setting figures than those two arbitration results if both sides are looking for any kind of common ground ahead of arbitration. So now it’s on both sides to get something done, perhaps even longer term, or prepare for Swayman/Frederic decisions to eat up all of the approximately $5.5 million in salary cap space that the Boston Bruins hold headed into these final two hearings.
Now on to the PWH Morning Skate links:
*We will have way, way more on this tomorrow after No. 37 holds a retirement press conference, but Patrice Bergeron announced his retirement this week after 19 brilliant NHL seasons. What a gift it was to cover his entire NHL career in Boston as the embodiment of doing things the right way both on and off the ice while carving out a Hall of Fame career as the one of the biggest winners of his generation.
*Tony DeAngelo is back on a one-year, short money deal for the Carolina Hurricanes, which will undoubtedly have him on his best behavior. (Raleigh News & Observer)
*George Laraque giving out fighting tips to players on the Montreal Canadiens. That can’t be good for the Boston Bruins. (Montreal Gazette)
*It’s Boston Bruins Mailbag Time for the Poke the Bear podcast.
*Bill Guerin is moving on up as he gets a promotion and a contract extension with the Minnesota Wild. (The Athletic)
*Can you pass the NHL 2022-23 season quiz?
*For something completely different: Stunning news about Bronny James. Hope that he’s going to be okay. (ESPN)