Bruins Rely on Goalie Jeremy Swayman in Playoff Showdown

Swayman's strong play in net is key to Bruins' chances against the Buffalo Sabres

Apr. 17, 2026 at 4:58pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey goaltender making a save, with the player's body and equipment broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of muted blue, green, and grey tones.Swayman's acrobatic saves will be key to the Bruins' chances against the speedy Sabres.Boston Today

The Boston Bruins are underdogs against the Buffalo Sabres in their upcoming playoff series, but the team is confident in the play of goaltender Jeremy Swayman. After a difficult season last year, Swayman regained his form and led Team USA to a gold medal at the World Championships, boosting his confidence heading into the playoffs. The Bruins will need Swayman to continue his strong play in net if they hope to upset the Sabres.

Why it matters

Swayman's performance in goal is crucial to the Bruins' chances of advancing in the playoffs. The Bruins allowed a high number of high-danger scoring chances during the regular season, putting added pressure on Swayman to make timely saves. His ability to bounce back from a tough previous season and lead his country to a gold medal shows his mental toughness, which will be tested against the speedy Sabres.

The details

After missing training camp last year due to a contract dispute, Swayman struggled through the 2025-26 season, posting a sub-.900 save percentage and missing the playoffs for the first time in his career. However, he regained his form by leading Team USA to a gold medal at the World Championships, posting a 7-0 record with a 1.69 goals-against average and .921 save percentage. Swayman carried that momentum into this season, finishing with a career-high 31 wins despite the Bruins allowing the seventh-most high-danger scoring chances in the NHL. The Bruins will need Swayman to continue his strong play against the fast-paced Sabres.

  • Swayman led Team USA to a gold medal at the World Championships last spring.
  • Swayman signed an eight-year, $66 million contract with the Bruins before the 2025-26 season.

The players

Jeremy Swayman

The Bruins' starting goaltender who bounced back from a tough 2025-26 season to lead Team USA to a gold medal at the World Championships and post a career-high 31 wins this season.

Don Sweeney

The Bruins' general manager who signed Swayman to the eight-year, $66 million contract before the 2025-26 season.

Marco Sturm

The Bruins' head coach who is confident in Swayman's ability to lead the team in the playoffs.

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What they’re saying

“It's why we play, man. It's exciting. It was a long summer last year and there was a little extra motivation coming into this year knowing we wanted to make the playoffs. And we don't take it for granted when we get this opportunity. It's just pure excitement and a lot of confidence knowing we're going to do the right thing.”

— Jeremy Swayman, Bruins Goaltender

“Well, I don't think Jeremy's ever given anybody a second thought about where his confidence in himself and his abilities are, and that's great from a goaltender, or from any type of player. Obviously going to the World Championships and leading that team to a gold medal says a lot about where his mindset was, from the standpoint of...not flushing the year, but sort of taking responsibility for not not playing as well.”

— Don Sweeney, Bruins General Manager

What’s next

The Bruins and Sabres will face off in Game 1 of their playoff series on Sunday, April 17th at 7:30pm EST.

The takeaway

Jeremy Swayman's strong play in net will be crucial to the Bruins' chances of upsetting the favored Buffalo Sabres in the playoffs. After a difficult previous season, Swayman regained his confidence by leading Team USA to a gold medal, and the Bruins will need him to continue that level of play to advance.