Jeremy Swayman wanted to play in the IIHF World Championship to help rebuild his game.
And the Bruins goalie did just that.
Swayman went to the World Championship disappointed with the season he had with Boston and emerged a gold medal winner after going a perfect 7-0 in the tournament.
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The goalie — who went 22-29-7 in 58 games last year — totaled a 1.69 goals-against average in seven starts for Team USA. Swayman made some timely, big saves to help lift the Americans to their first gold medal at Worlds since 1933.
Speaking to The Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont, Swayman admitted outside noise took a toll on him, including narratives about the eight-year, $66 million contract he signed two days before the Bruins opened their 2024-25 season.
But the World Championship was a good reminder that Swayman — when locked in — can be dominant between the pipes.
“I know I can play at this level. I know I can have success at this level,” Swayman told Dupont. “But my mindset was something that was challenged this year, and what I got to experience with this tournament was, if I get my mind right, I’m pretty hard to score on — and that’s something I could really build on.”
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Swayman, in his first year as Boston’s No. 1 goalie, now goes into the summer with a perfect record in the tournament, a gold medal, a refreshed mindset and a reminder of the level he can play when he’s confident in himself.
“I felt like I was going to the rink every day, doing what I needed to do, and still just wasn’t getting results,” Swayman said. “I had to dig in deeper, had to find different ways to find a way to win, just feel good on the ice. This (playing for Team USA) was just a great way for me to do it.”
Swayman getting back on track will be a big advantage for the Bruins who enter the offseason with a lot of questions — including who the next coach will be. While the goalie wasn’t the sole reason for Boston’s shortcomings, if he can play the way he did during the tournament, or even during the 2023-24 season, the Bruins will be in good shape in net.
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Read the original article on MassLive.