Don Sweeney was not overly concerned with how Jeremy Swayman's agent, Lewis Gross, pushed back at the comments previously made by Boston Bruins president Cam Neely.
Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Neely hinted the Bruins offered Swayman a $64 million contract. Gross, of SPM Sports, then rebutted Neely's notion in a statement.
"At today's press conference, $64 million was referenced," Gross wrote in a statement Monday. "This was the first time that number was discussed in our negotiations. Prior to the press conference, no offer was made reaching that level."
Sweeney, however, opted not to dive deep into that back-and-forth Sunday. It was behind Sweeney and the Bruins since Swayman and the Black and Gold signed an eight-year contract Sunday. The contract is set to reward $66 million for an average of $8.25 million per year.
"I just think in the spirit of negotiations there's a range of things when people are talking," Sweeney told reporters Sunday, as seen on NESN. "I think Lewis and I's communications -- he's really good at advocating for his client. And when pushback comes, he's defending his client in that sense.
"Specifics, albeit in our conversations are important, in the exterior in the narrative they are not as important. Just got to make sure you stay in communication and work through some of those sticky points."
Sweeney said he felt "very comfortable" throughout the process with Gross.
"As I said, narrative is narrative. That's all I have (on that)," Sweeney said.
Sweeney confirmed Swayman would not start between the pipes when the Bruins open their season against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night. Swayman will work his way back, and Sweeney fully expects Boston's netminder to do so in short order.
