BOSTON — Jeremy Swayman said he was emotional. First with anticipation as he stood in the tunnel waiting to be introduced in the ceremony before the Bruins’ home opener Thursday at TD Garden, and then at the reaction after he was.
Swayman was first in line to be introduced simply because it was done numerically and he wears No. 1. Swayman is coming off a breakthrough season last year when he was an All-Star and an outstanding playoff run. But he was also coming off a contract standoff that finally ended Sunday morning with him signing an 8-year deal for $66 million. Now cemented as the No. 1 goalie for their team for the foreseeable future, the Bruins fans roared as he skated out to the ice.
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“It was pretty emotional. That warm welcome. It just goes to show the kind of fan base we have here. It’s more than just a player, it’s a human being they care about. I got pretty emotional,” he said. “Stepping on that ice and hearing that roar again. I’m so grateful to be a part of this city and part of this team. It’s moments like that, that make everything worth it.”
Despite having just one practice and two morning skates under his belt, Swayman made his first of what could be 50-60 starts this season, against Montreal.
He was very good at points and good enough throughout as Boston prevailed 6-4.
“Not satisfied,” Swayman responded to a question about his performance. “I think the guys in front of me did an incredible job. I still have a lot of work to do and I’m excited to get to work.”
Without any preseason games, the hardest things for Swayman to prepare for were the most difficult ones to replicate. Those were game conditions he couldn’t create either at Boston University where he worked out with the Terriers to keep sharp before signing or in his brief practice time since returning.
“The flow of the game. Reading the most dangerous guy on the ice, usually without the puck,” Swayman said. “I know what I need to do. Goalie Bob (Essensa) and I and Korpi (Joonas Korpisalo), we’re going to go to work.”
Bruins coach Jim Montgomery was more pleased with Swayman, who finished with 20 saves, that the goalie himself was.
“Jeremy Swayman was good. He made the saves that he could,” Montgomery said. “There’s backdoor taps in because our coverage isn’t solid yet.”
With his contract signed, the season opener and the home opener over, Swayman was ready to get into his season-long routine.
“It’s something I try to work on. Simplifying my life. What’s the most important thing?” he said. “That’s what I try to do best. Keep the outside noise away. When I’m in the rink I just try to focus on doing what I do and the task at hand.”
He was eager to get back on the ice.
“It’s such an incredible thing to be back playing and in this building again, it’s a boatload of gratitude just knowing how much time I spent away from the rink,” he said. “I wanted to make it as seamless as possible. That crowd made it that way, getting into the game early supporting us through the entire game. I’m addicted. I can’t wait to do it again.”
