The NHL season might be suspended, but the college free agency frenzy begins. The most prominent college hockey players are free to snag.
The Boston Bruins signed two college players in the past few days.
On Tuesday, the Bruins signed goaltender Jeremy Swayman to a three-year, entry-level contract. The Bruins selected Swayman in the fourth round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft with pick No. 111. The 21-year-old netminder spent the most recent three seasons playing for the University of Maine team in the NCAA.
Today, @JeremySwayman inked a deal with the Boston Bruins!
Jeremy’s dad and our coaching staff watched as he made it official – congrats Sway!!#BlackBearNation | #HockeyEast pic.twitter.com/vpoGLa9OmH
— Black Bear Hockey (@MaineIceHockey) March 17, 2020
During the recently-concluded 2019-20 season, Swayman posted some impressive numbers. In 34 games played, Swayman had a goals-against average of 2.07 and a save percentage of .939. Last season, his GAA was 2.77, and his SV percentage was .919, meaning he showed overall improvement in the present campaign.
No team in the NHL can have enough goaltending depth, and the same applies to the Bruins, who already have Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak. Given their age and contract situation (Rask’s contract expires in 2021, while Halak will become an unrestricted free agent this year), the Bruins have to find a young replacement for their top-choice netminding. Czech goalie Daniel Vladar has been stellar this season for the Providence Bruins.
On Wednesday, the Bruins inked undrafted defenseman, Nick Wolff, to a one-year, entry-level deal. The 23-year-old left-shot blueliner is coming off a stint with the University of Minnesota-Duluth in the NCAA.
Wolff has played for Minnesota-Duluth since 2016. In the recently-concluded season, Wolff served as the team’s captain. During his first two seasons in the NCAA, the Minnesota native was a teammate with Karson Kuhlman, whom the Bruins signed as an undrafted forward in 2018 from the same team.
The Boston Bruins are going to sign Minnesota Duluth senior defenseman Nick Wolff, an undrafted free agent.
— Brad Elliott Schlossman (@SchlossmanGF) March 18, 2020
Wolff, a robust 6-foot-5, 229-pound defenseman, has skated in 156 games in the NCAA, collecting 14 goals and 39 assists for 53 points. He won the NCAA Championship in 2018 and 2019.
The 23-year-old rearguard is expected to play for the Providence Bruins this upcoming autumn but has the potential to eventually make the Bruins’ NHL roster down the road. Wolff plays a physical and shut-down style of hockey.
