It’s been an emotional week for Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman.
Last Tuesday, the 22-year-old rookie stopped 40 of the 42 shots he faced to pick up his first NHL win in an impressive debut. He followed that up with an equally impressive effort and a second straight win on Thursday.
Then on Friday afternoon, Swayman, along with the rest of the hockey world, got hit with the shocking news that Red Gendron, his coach for three years at the University of Maine, had died unexpectedly at the age of 63.
The Bruins gave Swayman the option to take Saturday’s game off if he wanted to, but he chose to play. He played again Tuesday night and helped the Bruins get back in the win column with 21 saves in regulation and overtime and another two in the shootout as the Bruins beat the Sabres, 3-2.
After the game, Swayman reflected on what Gendron meant to him and how emotional these last few days have been.
“Obviously we all know how impactful Red was to the hockey community, especially my life. I loved Red so much,” Swayman said. “The things he taught me, I’ll have for the rest of my life. My heart reaches out to Jan, Katie and Allison [Gendron’s wife and two daughters]. It’s a beautiful family that I consider my own. I’m just so grateful for the experiences I had with him. He’s definitely going to be a role model for the rest of my life.”
Swayman acknowledged it’s been a tough few days, but said he’s thought of Gendron’s even-keel, upbeat approach to adversity.
“I know that he would want me to be even-keel,” Swayman said. “He’s that kind of a leader. No matter how he felt, he would always have a smile on his face. It was honestly incredible. He always knew what to say, even in the most trying times. It’s something that I want to continue, to honor him. If I can teach someone else what he taught me, I think that would be a pretty incredible gift.”
He referenced Gendron again when talking about just trying to stay focused on the game in front of him.
“It’s one game at a time,” Swayman said. “It’s a pro season, and it’s my first one. I try to do whatever I can training-wise to prepare for it. It’s like Red said: ‘You can’t buy experience from Target.’ So I have to go in with an open mind every day and gain that experience, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Swayman showed some emotion after the shootout win, pointing to the sky with his stick. He also revealed that he loves shootouts, which is not exactly the norm for goalies.
“I love shootouts. I think it’s one of the best parts of the game if we get to it,” Swayman said. “Obviously today I got to try that, and it was pretty cool to get the win with the home crowd. It was a pretty special moment, and I know that I wasn’t alone out there, so it was pretty emotional at the end.”