Jeremy Swayman confident successful partnership with Linus Ullmark will continue in 2023-24

No Bruins win is complete without Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark hugging it out as the B's exit the ice. 

What started as a goofy postgame celebration has turned into a ritual that has a grip on teammates and the fanbase alike over their two seasons of working together. 

As the wins piled up for the Bruins in 2023-24, so did the hugs. They've spilled over into celebrations at the youth level, around local rinks and even beyond. 

The roar they receive from the TD Garden rooters still blows Swayman's mind.

“It’s one of the most incredible things I’ve ever experienced, and that doesn’t happen without the fan base that Boston has. I truly believe that,” Swayman said earlier month at Warrior Ice Arena. “It’s definitely grown around the entire community of hockey worldwide now, which is insane to think about.”

Even if there has been a fair share of young copycats sharing their renditions across social media, it's a celebration that was born out of Swayman and Ullmark's unique working relationship as two strong netminders and fierce competitors sharing the crease with mutual esteem for one another.

"That's something that will never be replicated again. You know, and that's something that we've created together, and no matter what we look forward to that every year," Swayman said. "It's more than just you know, the show right? It's truly internal, and we love each other. We understand how hard it is to win games in this league, and to see the endless support that these fans have given us is something that is gonna give us motivation through anything that comes our way."

The Bruins have been more than happy to embrace the tradition, given the success Swayman and Ullmark have had together as a tandem the past two seasons. 

The latter is fresh off winning the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender in decisive fashion, taking 22 of 30 first-place votes after putting up a regular season with comparable numbers to one B's fans may remember from 12 seasons ago. The Swede took home the league's triple crown, leading the NHL in wins (40 – in 49 games), save percentage (.938) and goals-against average (1.89). For reference, in the 2010-11 regular season, Tim Thomas psoted 35 wins, a .938 save percentage and a 2.00 GAA. 

Ullmark, also a goal-scorer, led the league in goals saved above expected 942.4) and was first in goals save above expected per 60 minutes (.883) among qualified goaltenders (min. 25 games), according to MoneyPuck. He was also second to Nashville's Juuse Saros in wins above replacement (7.07). He was third in high-danger save percentage at 5-on-5 (.871), per Natural Stat Trick. 

It was a dramatic surge for Ullmark, whose previous baseline was that of a good starting goaltender. His first season in Boston, Swayman's rookie year in 2021-22, saw him put up a .917 save percentage, a 2.45 GAA and 26 wins in 41 games. 

Swayman, the heir apparent as the franchise's workhorse netminder, has been no slouch, either. 

Had he played enough games to truly be in the running for individual hardware, the 24-year-old surely would have been in the conversation. 

The Anchorage, Alaska native ranked eighth in WAR (4.00) and goals-saved above expected (24.0), per Money Puck. He was in the top five for shutouts (four; T-3rd), save percentage (.920; 4th) and GAA (2.27; 4th) in 37 appearances. No. 1 finished third in goals-saved above expected per 60 (.715), and his .870 high-danger save percentage tied for fifth in the league. 

To Swayman, few things have been as beneficial as a healthy internal competition between he and Ullmark, all the while maintaining their strong bond off the ice. 

"That's what makes it so special is that if we didn't have that [relationship], we'd be pissed at each other because that wouldn't elevate our game," Swayman said. "That's something that we really take seriously is that — if I'm not competing as hard, if he's not competing as hard in practice, we know that if we slump in games, the other guy's gonna take that net. That's what's gonna elevate our level every single game. That's something that could get overlooked at times from a viewer standpoint."

Swayman and Ullmark took home the Jennings Trophy after the Bruins allowed the fewest goals against of any team in the regular season. Boston put up a 51-win season during the pair's first go-around in 2021-22 as Swayman finished fourth in Calder Trophy voting (Rookie of the Year), before rewriting the record books with 65 victories this past season. 

So far, having the best 1a-1b dynamic in the league has worked wonderfully for Boston in the regular season, while it's yet to be given a true test in the playoffs. 

With both playing at high levels the last two seasons, the Bruins have continued to have a strong backbone to lean on with the days of Thomas and Tuukka Rask well behind us. With the salary cap taking it's toll on the league and Boston in particular this offseason, the B's will need Ullmark and Swayman to again be the bedrock of their success. 

Swayman feels their drive with one another only aids in the success.

"On the ice, him and I know that if we're not elevating our game every single day, that one of the other guys is gonna take over the net, and we're not going to get each other better and we're not going to help this team get better," he added. "So that kind of mentality that we've had has taken care of itself, because we know that if we compete with each other at the highest level, we're gonna give our team a chance to win any given night."

The realities of a capped-out league weighed on Ullmark, ever the subject of trade speculation this offseason, and Swayman, put in the unenviable position of salary arbitration. In the end, the tandem remains for the foreseeable future. 

The 2024 offseason will undoubtedly bring more questions to the crease for Boston. Swayman will be due a new deal once again, one that ideally locks him up for the long haul, if all goes accordingly in 2023-24. Brandon Bussi could be knocking on the door from Providence, and Ullmark may again find himself in the constantly-churning rumor mill.

But those are issues for a later day. For now, Swayman is happy to be running it back, confident he and Ullmark's relationship can continue. 

"There's nothing separating that guy and I," he said. "So that's going to be something that I'm really excited about. And I'm really looking forward to being back in action with him again.

"There's no other guy I want to go to battle with every day. So I'm really excited to be doing that."

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Bruins sign F Alex Chiasson to professional tryout

Boston announced Monday it has signed veteran winger Alex Chiasson to a professional tryout agreement (PTO). 

The 32-year-old split his time between the AHL and NHL last season with Detroit. In 20 NHL games with the Red Wings, he had nine points (6g, 3a), including two tallies in two games against the B's. In 29 AHL games with Grand Rapids, he had 20 points (9g, 11a). 

A 2018 Stanley Cup Champion with the Capitals, the Boston University product has 233 points (120g, 113a) in 651 games between Dallas, Ottawa, Calgary, Washington, Edmonton, Vancouver and Detroit. With six seasons of at least 10 goals, his career-best was a 22-goal, 38-point run in 73 games with the Pilers in 2018-189. 

Quickie thoughts...

• Who doesn't love a little internal competition? Now how about a little more of it? The Bruins love themselves some of that. 
• We know what Chiasson is at this point in his career: a sizable (6-4, 208) depth forward who makes his living in front of the net on the power play. Five of his six tallies with Detroit were on the power play last year, and eight of his 22 in 2018-19 were on the advantage. In all, 43 of his 120 career goals have come on the power play. It's worth mentioning James van Riemsdyk is here for a similar role, too. 
• It'll be interesting to see what he has left when camp opens and preseason action gets going. He'll obviously be competing for a depth role. Whether or not Chiasson latches on and earns a contract almost certainly hinges on where some of the younger players in the mix are at, barring any sort of pop from him. 
• Remember when we were talking about potentially trading Jake DeBrusk or Anders Bjork for Chiasson just three years ago?