The Boston Bruins and New York Islanders could have their starting goalies in place when they open their respective seasons this week.
One day after the Bruins came to terms with Jeremy Swayman on an eight-year, $66 million contract, coach Jim Montgomery said Monday that there’s “a possibility” that he could be in goal when Boston opens its season against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Tuesday in Sunrise, Florida. Montgomery said before Swayman came to terms that Joonas Korpisalo, who was acquired during the offseason in a trade that sent Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators, would be the opening-night starter.
“It’s great to be back,” Swayman said after practicing with the Bruins – his teammates made him skate an extra lap at the end of the workout — and he traveled with them to Florida.
“I thought he elevated practice,” Montgomery said. “I thought he looked sharp.”
The 25-year-old worked out with Boston University’s team during the contract dispute, though he hasn’t played an NHL game since May 17, when the Panthers eliminated the Bruins in the Eastern Conference Second Round.
Related: Top 5 NHL storylines for 2024-25 season
Top NHL news stories ahead of opening night
Here’s some of the other key stories before the puck drops on the North American openers in the 2024-25 NHL season.
Ilya Sorokin ready, could be opening-night starter for Islanders
Ilya Sorokin didn’t play at all for the New York Islanders during the preseason following offseason back surgery, and he didn’t even practice until Oct. 3. But general manager Lou Lamoriello said the 29-year-old is ready to go and could be the starter in their season opener against the Utah Hockey Club on Thursday at UBS Arena.
“When he’s ready, he’s ready,” Lamoriello said Sunday. “I think that the [recovery] process has been exactly what we hoped it would be. And if you want to say we extended it a period of time, we did what had to be done to make sure he was totally 100 percent.”
If Sorokin doesn’t play, Semyon Varlamov will get the start.
Sorokin has not played since Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round on April 25, when he was pulled after allowing three goals on 14 shots in a 3-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. New York lost the best-of-7 series in five games.
The Islanders are taking their time with Sorokin, who’s entering the first season of an eight-year contract he signed July 1, 2023. Coach Patrick Roy wouldn’t commit to having Sorokin as his opening-night starter – but he didn’t rule it out, either.
“We’ll see how it goes tomorrow after today, and then the next day and the next day,” Roy said. “We’ll make our decisions based on that.”
Max Pacioretty signs one-year contract with Maple Leafs
Max Pacioretty, who was in training camp on a PTO as he continues his comeback from multiple surgeries on his Achilles tendon, signed a one-year, $873,770 contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday. There are also bonuses that could bring the contract’s value to $1.5 million.
The 35-year-old forward had 23 points (four goals, 19 assists) in 47 games for the Washington Capitals last season and one assist in four Stanley Cup Playoff games. He has 668 points (330 goals, 338 assists) in 902 regular-season games, as well as 50 points (25 goals, 25 assists) in 78 playoff games.
Pacioretty played just 91 games during the past three seasons due to injury. But before the 2022-23 season, he was one of the League’s more reliable goal-scorers, firing home 303 goals in his previous 11 seasons.
“It means a lot,” Pacioretty said of the contract. “No matter what was talked about before, it’s just always surreal and you come in and don’t know what to expect in terms of the group and fitting in and you kind of have those butterflies as to whether it’s going to work. I’m just really excited to be here.”
Pacioretty spent most of training camp on a line with John Tavares and Nick Robertson
The Maple Leafs also signed forward Steven Lorentz to a one-year, NHL-minimum $775,000 contract, and they placed goaltender Matt Murray and defenseman Marshall Rifai on waivers.
How To Watch NHL Network Live in 2024
Veteran goalie James Reimer leads list of waiver claims
Goaltender James Reimer was one of five players claimed on waivers Monday.
The Anaheim Ducks claimed the 36-year-old, who had been in training camp with the Buffalo Sabres. Longtime starter John Gibson is expected to miss at least another week or two while recovering from an appendectomy.
Reimer has appeared in 501 games in 14 NHL seasons with the Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes and Detroit Red Wings. He is 215-177-63 with a save percentage of .910 and 30 shutouts. Reimer was 11-8-2 with a 3.11 GAA and .904 save percentage for the Red Wings last season.
The Columbus Blue Jackets claimed veteran forward Zach Aston-Reese. He played three games for Detroit last season but spent most of the campaign with Grand Rapids, the Red Wings’ affiliate in the American Hockey League. Aston-Reese has also played for the Ducks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Maple Leafs; he has 42 goals and 80 points in 310 NHL games.
The Vancouver Canucks claimed backup goaltender Jiri Patera from the Bruins, who picked him up last month. Patera played eight games with the Vegas Golden Knights during the past two seasons. He has a 3.57 GAA and.902 save percentage.
Vegas claimed two players, center Raphael Lavoie from the Edmonton Oilers and wing Cole Schwindt from the Calgary Flames.