Embattled Bruins goalie feels like ‘completely new human' thanks to Worlds (report)
It was a trying 2024-25 season for Jeremy Swayman.
A training camp holdout was beneficial for the young Bruins goalie's bank account — he eventually landed an 8-year, $66 million deal — but hindered his play on the ice.
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After missing all of camp, Swayman delivered the worst season of his career. The 26-year-old went 22-29-7 with a 3.11 goals against average and .892 save percentage.
Swayman decided to play in the IIHF World Championships after the season, hoping to find his game. The 26-year-old may have found more than just that, given what he said in Sweden.
Swayman went 7-0 in goal for Team USA, leading the United States to its first tournament title in 92 years. He posted a .921 save percentage and 1.61 GAA on the undefeated run, and raved about what the experience meant to him ahead of semifinals, according to The Hockey News.
'I couldn't be happier to be at this tournament, especially based on the year I had,' Swayman told The Hockey News last week. 'I feel like a completely new human being and a completely new goalie. The guys in this room have been so incredible for just supporting me, and it's just been a contagious locker room of joy. I just feel like a completely new human being.'
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After saying that, Swayman won two more games and a Gold Medal. It wasn't a Stanley Cup run, but the goalie came into the tournament with a chip on his shoulder.
'I knew this was a great opportunity to play meaningful hockey,' Swayman said. 'At this time of year, I wanted to prove to myself that I could play a full year of a ton of games and still hold my body together and perform at a high level. I couldn't be more honored to play for the USA, and I'm never going to say no. It's something I'm really prideful about.'
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