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Around the NHL: Bruins sign Swayman for $66M, Holl, Engvall waived, Canucks extend Hoglander
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Photo credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
Shane Seney
Oct 7, 2024, 08:15 EDTUpdated: Oct 7, 2024, 08:12 EDT
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The 2024-25 NHL season is off and running, as the Global Series wrapped up from Czechia. The New Jersey Devils put up the first four points of the year on the board, as they defeated the Buffalo Sabres twice over the weekend.
Former Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe stayed perfect in Europe, as he led the Devils to victory, just one season after coaching Toronto to two wins from Stockholm, Sweden. The Devils received some stellar goaltending from Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen, and with all their talent up front, they could become a serious problem in the Eastern Conference.
The majority of the league gets started on Wednesday, as general managers continue to scramble to finalize their rosters before Monday’s deadline. Hockey is back, and here’s the very latest from around the NHL:

Bruins sign Jeremy Swayman to 8-year, $66-million extension

After a rare public spat between a team president and goaltender, Jeremy Swayman and the Boston Bruins have come to terms on an eight-year deal, worth $66 million. The extension comes just days after Bruins’ president Cam Neely mentioned at a press conference that there were ’64 million reasons why’ Swayman should be re-signing in Boston. Shortly after, Swayman’s agent, Lewis Gross, came out publicly and called out Neely and the Bruins for never making an offer that high.
Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported that the actual initial offer was indeed $62.4 million over eight years, and Swayman held strong to have the Bruins come up slightly. The 25-year-old goaltender missed all of training camp and the preseason. Last season Swayman was lights out, posting a 25-10-8 record, along with a .916 save percentage. Heading into the new campaign, there’s a ton of pressure on Swayman to perform, as his best friend, Linus Ullmark, was dealt to Ottawa, and backup Joonas Korpisalo is a big question mark heading into ’24-25.
The Maple Leafs face off against the rival Bruins Oct.26 in Boston, which will be their first matchup since Swayman led the B’s to a first-round series win.

Familiar faces waived across the league

Sunday’s waiver wire was loaded with players, as GM’s look to set their rosters ahead of the new season. While the Maple Leafs waived Matt Murray and Marshall Rifai, there were several former Leafs who were cut, including Justin Holl in Detroit, Pierre Engvall on Long Island and James Reimer in Buffalo.
Engvall is the biggest surprise of the three, as the speedy winger has six seasons left on his contract at $3 million AAV. Engvall struggled throughout training camp and preseason action. He recorded just 10 goals and 28 points in 74 games last season. In 318 career games, Engvall has scored 57 goals and 63 assists, including eight points in 28 Stanley Cup Playoff appearances.
Holl inked a three-year, $10.2 million contract before last season, and after a rocky first year in Motown, season two has started by being waived. The 32-year-old blueliner was beloved in the Maple Leafs’ dressing room, spending parts of six seasons in Toronto. Holl recorded five assists in 38 games last year for the Red Wings and considering his contract, won’t be claimed by any team on Monday. Look for Holl to start the season with the AHL’s Grand Rapid Griffins, and it’s going to take an injury or two before he’s recalled to the big club.
The Buffalo Sabres are content with their two goaltenders and decided to waive Reimer. Many wondered if the veteran netminder would be able to push out Devon Levi for the backup role, and it’s quickly become obvious that wasn’t the case throughout the preseason. Reimer signed a one-year contract with the Sabres this past summer, after posting an 11-8-2 record with the Red Wings in 2023-24.
Here’s the full list of waived players from Sunday:

Canucks sign Hoglander to 3-year, $9-million extension

The Vancouver Canucks secured some depth up front as the team announced they’ve extended forward Nils Hoglander for three more seasons at $3 million annually.
Hoglander’s contract kicks in after this season and walks him right into unrestricted free agency in 2028, when he’ll be 27 years old.
Hoglander set career highs in ’23-24 with 24 goals and 36 points. He’s projected to be playing alongside J.T Miller and Brock Boeser to start the new year and if he sticks among the top six, could put up some serious offensive numbers. Hoglander was originally a 2019 second-round pick and has recorded 90 points in 221 career games to this point.
The Canucks kick off the new campaign on Wednesday when they host the Calgary Flames. Their first matchup against the Maple Leafs is set for Jan.11 in Toronto.

Opening Week Quick Hits:

  • Speaking of the Canucks, they completed a trade with the Colorado Avalanche, acquiring defenseman Erik Brannstrom in exchange fora Tucker Poolman and a 2025 fourth-round pick. Vancouver retained 25% of Poolman’s $2.5-million cap hit, he hasn’t played since 2022.
  • Due to weather concerns with hurricane season in the south, the Florida Panthers had to cancel Monday’s public charity event, when they were supposed to receive their Stanley Cup championship rings. Players will now receive their rings in a private ceremony instead.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets are dealing with some injury troubles early on, as forwards Boone Jenner and Dmitri Voronkov will be starting the season on the injured reserve. GM Don Waddell confirmed to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline, both players will be ‘out awhile’.
  • Erik Karlsson is expected to be in the lineup for the Pittsburgh Penguins’ season opener this week, after missing the entire preseason with an upper-body injury.
  • Former Leaf and current Red Wings’ goaltender Jack Campbell entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program last weekend. Campbell signed a one-year, $775,000 contract in Detroit over the summer and will be unavailable for an indefinite period of time while receiving care.
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