Jeremy Swayman was Bruins’ MVP in first-round series win vs. Leafs

BOSTON — The Bruins would be planning their summer vacation right now if not for Jeremy Swayman’s stellar performance against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The 25-year-old goaltender was the Bruins’ most valuable player in the series, especially in their 2-1 victory in overtime of Game 7 on Saturday night at TD Garden.

“I’m just so grateful and so proud of these guys in this locker room,” Swayman said postgame. “What a feeling to do it in front of these fans.”

Swayman made 30 saves on 31 shots in the series clincher as the Bruins closed out the series and secured a second-round matchup with the Florida Panthers.

“I think he was our best player in the series and it wasn’t even close,” Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said of Swayman. “I think his confidence and his swagger permeated through the group. It took a while, but it got there.”

Swayman started Game 1 and led the Bruins to a 5-1 victory. He didn’t play in Game 2 as the B’s continued their goalie rotation from the regular season. Linus Ullmark got the start and played well, but the Leafs won 3-2 to even the series. Swayman played great again in Game 3 in Toronto, making it really tough to take him out of the net.

Montgomery made a few questionable decisions in this series, but one lineup decision he consistently got right was sticking with Swayman, and the young netminder rewarded his coach’s trust with fantastic results.

Swayman made six starts in the series and allowed two or fewer goals in each one. He made 172 saves on 182 shots for a .950 save percentage, which is the best of any goalie in Round 1 who played in at least four games.

The Leafs, based on the quality and quantity of their scoring chances, were expected to score 16.58 goals against Swayman, per Natural Stat Trick. But they got the puck past him just nine times.

 

Swayman had to be near-perfect in the final three games of the series because the Bruins had a very difficult time generating offense during that span. The B’s scored only one goal in Games 5 and 6, and they found the back of the net just once in regulation in Game 7.

Swayman’s margin for error was razor thin, but he stepped up with a bunch of clutch saves to carry the Bruins to the second round. The Bruins will need him to be just as good in Round 2 if they’re going to reach the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 2019.

The Panthers are arguably the favorites to win the Stanley Cup after finishing first in the Atlantic Division and then eliminating the Tampa Bay Lighting in five games in Round 1. The defending Eastern Conference champs scored at least three goals in each of those five games versus the Lightning. Florida is loaded up front with great depth and elite talent.

It’s going to be a difficult series for the Bruins, but they’ll have a chance if Swayman continues to play at such a high level. He’s locked in right now, and in the playoffs, a hot goalie is sometimes enough to make a deep run.