Jeremy Swayman Bio
Jeremy Rion Swayman, born on November 24, 1998, in Anchorage, Alaska, is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. Drafted by the Bruins in the fourth round, 111th overall, in the 2017 NHL entry draft, Swayman has become one of the franchise’s most important players since making his NHL debut in April 2021. Known around the league by the nicknames Sway and Bulldog, he combines athletic reflexes with a steady temperament that has helped him handle the demanding role of an NHL starting goaltender.
Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing about 197 pounds, Swayman catches left and plays a modern, positionally sound style of goaltending. After starring at the University of Maine, he has built his NHL career on strong rebound control and consistency. His steady rise from a fourth-round pick to a frontline NHL starter has made him a central figure in the Bruins’ long-term plans.
Early Life and Background
Jeremy Swayman grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, where his family nurtured his early love of hockey. He was born to Anne Boesenberg and Ken Swayman, and his father played a defining role in his introduction to the sport. As an infant, his father began taking him to watch the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves men’s ice hockey team, and those early trips helped shape his connection to the game.
Swayman first stepped into the goaltender crease at the age of five and quickly became attached to the position. He played youth hockey around Anchorage and spent two seasons with the program at South Anchorage High School. He comes from a Jewish family and celebrated a bar mitzvah during his youth, a detail he has spoken about as part of his upbringing.
Although he expected to play for the Kenai River Brown Bears of the North American Hockey League, Swayman was cut from the team in favor of two older goaltenders. With help from several family friends, he instead joined the Pikes Peak Miners of the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League, where he posted a .940 save percentage and a 1.79 goals against average in 18 games.
Path to Hockey
After one season in Pikes Peak, Swayman was selected by the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League in the 12th round of the 2016 USHL Phase II Draft. Stampede coach Scott Owens, who had first noticed him during his time in Pikes Peak, was impressed by Swayman throughout training camp. In his Stampede debut, Swayman stopped 48 shots in a 3–2 shootout win over the Tri-City Storm, signaling his arrival on the larger junior stage.
In 32 games with Sioux Falls, he recorded a 7–18–3 record with a .914 save percentage and a 2.90 goals against average. The NHL Central Scouting Bureau ranked him the No. 12 North American goaltending prospect in advance of the 2017 NHL entry draft. The Boston Bruins used the 111th overall pick to select him, a fourth-round choice that has since paid significant dividends for the franchise.
Already committed to the University of Maine, Swayman transitioned directly into NCAA competition. His three seasons with the Maine Black Bears prepared him for the professional ranks, as he earned national recognition for his play in the 2019–20 season and left as the program’s all-time leader in saves and minutes played.
Jeremy Swayman Career
Early Career (2017–2020)
Swayman made his collegiate debut on October 7, 2017, recording 26 saves in a loss to UConn. He quickly became one of the top goaltenders in Hockey East, earning multiple weekly and monthly awards during his freshman year. He finished that season with a .920 save percentage and a 2.74 goals against average, becoming the first Maine rookie goaltender since Ben Bishop to post a 15-win season.
Across his three seasons at Maine, Swayman grew into one of the top college goaltenders in the country. He posted a .919 save percentage during his sophomore year and was named to the All-Hockey East Third Team. By the end of his junior campaign, he had set Maine’s all-time records for saves and minutes played, while also winning the Walter Brown Award, the Hockey East Player of the Year honor, and the Mike Richter Award as the nation’s top collegiate goaltender.
NHL Breakthrough (2020–2022)
Swayman signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Bruins on March 18, 2020, but his professional debut was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. He began the 2020–21 season with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League, winning his first seven starts and earning a spot on the AHL Atlantic Division All-Star Team.
Promoted to Boston in April 2021, Swayman made his NHL debut on April 6, stopping 40 shots in a 4–2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. He recorded his first NHL shutout ten days later against the New York Islanders, finishing the regular season with a 7–3–0 record, a .945 save percentage, and a 1.50 goals against average. Coach Bruce Cassidy selected him as Tuukka Rask’s playoff backup, and Swayman appeared in one postseason game.
The 2021–22 season saw Swayman step into a larger role after Rask and Jaroslav Halák both left the Bruins. He formed a goaltending partnership with newcomer Linus Ullmark and led all NHL rookie goaltenders with a 2.37 goals against average, a .913 save percentage, and three shutouts. Swayman finished fifth in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team.
Boston Bruins Era (2022–Present)
The 2022–23 season was historic for the Bruins, and Swayman was at the center of it. Sharing the net with Ullmark, he helped Boston set NHL records with 65 wins and 135 points, capturing the Presidents’ Trophy. Swayman and Ullmark received the William M. Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest team goals in the league. Their postgame embraces became one of the most talked-about rituals in the NHL that season.
After the Bruins were eliminated in the first round of the 2023 playoffs, Swayman signed a one-year, $3.475 million contract in arbitration in August 2023. He opened the 2023–24 season on a personal unbeaten streak, earned his first NHL All-Star selection, and dominated the Bruins’ first-round playoff win over the Toronto Maple Leafs with a .950 save percentage.
In October 2024, after a lengthy negotiation, Swayman signed an eight-year, $66 million contract to become Boston’s clear starting goaltender. Although he struggled early as he adjusted to the expanded role, he finished the 2024–25 season with a 22–29–7 record across 58 starts. The 2025–26 season brought a return to form, as Swayman posted a .908 save percentage and led the Bruins back into the playoffs, finishing as a Vezina Trophy finalist.
Driving Style and Strengths
Swayman is recognized for his calm, positionally sound approach and his ability to control rebounds in high-traffic areas. His athleticism allows him to recover quickly on second-chance opportunities, and his track record in high-pressure games reflects a strong mental game. Working alongside Linus Ullmark sharpened his preparation habits and pushed him to refine his details.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Swayman’s signature moments are his NHL debut against Philadelphia, his first playoff series win over Toronto in 2024, and his Vezina Trophy finalist season in 2025–26. He also reached the gold medal game with Team USA at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, posting a shutout in the final against Switzerland. His willingness to engage with Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel in a rare goalie fight during the 2026 NHL Stadium Series added another memorable chapter to his career.
Jeremy Swayman Career Wins
Across junior, college, and professional levels, Swayman has built a strong résumé of victories and individual accolades. His most meaningful wins include the Jennings Trophy in 2023, multiple Hockey East monthly and weekly awards, and a Calder Trophy finalist finish in 2022.
NHL Highlights
Swayman has steadily accumulated wins since his 2021 debut, including his first seven NHL starts without a regulation loss to open his career. He has logged multiple 20-win seasons and contributed to back-to-back playoff appearances for the Bruins in 2023 and 2024. His performance against Toronto in the 2024 first round stands out as one of the strongest individual goaltending series of his career.
Other Wins and Performances
Before the NHL, Swayman won seven consecutive starts to begin his time with the Providence Bruins and earned a spot on the AHL Atlantic Division All-Star Team. At the University of Maine, he set program records for career saves and minutes played, anchored by a stellar 2019–20 season that brought him national recognition.
Jeremy Swayman Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Jeremy Swayman was raised in Anchorage, Alaska, by Anne Boesenberg and Ken Swayman. His father introduced him to the game as an infant by taking him to Alaska Anchorage Seawolves games, which sparked his lifelong connection to goaltending. The family supported his move away from home to play junior hockey and later the University of Maine.
Personal Life
Swayman has kept much of his personal life private. He is best known publicly for his close friendship with Linus Ullmark, with whom he shared the iconic postgame hugs during the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons. He has spoken about his Jewish heritage and has participated in community and team events that reflect his family values.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025–26 season marked a strong return to form for Swayman and the Bruins. After signing his long-term extension and adjusting to the workload of a true starter, he regained his confidence midway through the year. He finished the regular season with a .908 save percentage across 54 games and allowed two or fewer goals in 31 of those appearances.
His play earned him a spot among the Vezina Trophy finalists alongside Andrei Vasilevskiy and Illya Sorokin, validating his status as one of the league’s elite goaltenders. The Bruins returned to the playoffs under new head coach Marco Sturm, with Swayman serving as the clear backbone of the team.
Looking ahead, Swayman is positioned as the Bruins’ franchise goaltender for years to come, with his eight-year contract running through the early 2030s. His combination of athleticism, technical refinement, and big-game experience gives Boston one of the most reliable starters in the NHL as it aims to build another Stanley Cup contender around him.
