Jeremy Swayman’s comeback season continues, in a big way.

Last week, Swayman was named to the U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team for the first time. Here in Maine, where we saw Swayman patrol the crease for the Black Bears for three seasons beginning in 2017, where he won the Mike Richter Award as college hockey’s top goalie and was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award honoring college hockey’s top player, where he likely would’ve led Maine into the NCAA tournament in 2020 had a pandemic not shut down the world, that accomplishment brings an added sense of pride.

Fans of UMaine hockey might recognize the names of Team USA’s other two goalies, Connor Hellebuyck and Jake Oettinger. Hellebuyck played his college hockey at UMass Lowell, and Oettinger played for Boston University. Both kept many UMaine shooters off the scoresheet.

At the end of the last NHL season, there was little talk of Swayman, 27, being one of the top three American goalies. Even with a new eight-year, $66 million dollar contract, signed after the restricted free agent missed most of training camp before the 2024-25 season, the question was, is Swayman even the best goalie on the Bruins?

The 2024-25 season was tumultuous for the Bruins in every regard. Rather than becoming a steadying presence in net, Swayman was one of the big concerns. Coming off three strong seasons, Swayman was flat pretty much all season. His save percentage dropped to a career-low .892. His goals-against average ballooned to a career-high 3.11.

Instead of facing NHL shooters in training camp, Swayman tried to stay sharp by practicing with Boston University. As good as they may be at the NCAA level, BU shooters are not NHL shooters, and it showed after Swayman finally signed his contract and returned to action for the Bruins.

Swayman, though, found his mojo again while playing for the U.S. at the world championships last spring. In seven games, he posted a .921 save percentage and a 1.69 goals-against average. For the most part, he’s carried that momentum into the 2025-26 season.

Is Swayman the top choice between the pipes for Team USA when it heads to Italy in February for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo? Normally, you’d say no. Hellebuyck, the reigning back-to-back Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL’s top goalie and the 2025 Hart Trophy winner as the league’s most valuable player, would be an easy choice. But Hellebuyck had knee surgery in November and just returned to the Winnipeg Jets last month. In his last five starts, Hellebuyck has not been his usual sharp self. His last win was on Dec. 13, in his first game back. He has allowed four goals three times in nine games since returning.

Oettinger has been sharper than Hellebuyck of late, but not so much as to put distance between himself and Swayman. He allowed four goals in each of his last two starts, and this season Oettinger’s save percentage (.905) and goals-against average (2.62) are close to Swayman’s (.906, 2.80).

Even with a brutal game against Montreal on Dec. 23, in which Swayman gave up six goals and all of the Bruins played as if they were already on Christmas break, he’s been the hottest of the three American goalies. Swayman has allowed two or fewer goals in his last four games. Since the debacle against Montreal, he recorded the following save percentages in his next three games: .950, .944, .939. The 36-save effort in a New Year’s Eve victory in Edmonton was Swayman’s best game of the season.

If Team USA General Manager Bill Guerin had any doubts about adding Swayman to the roster, that game had to erase them. Swayman celebrated the news with another strong performance Saturday night, making 33 saves in an overtime win at Vancouver.

In a video interview the Bruins posted to their website, Swayman talked about getting the call from Guerin confirming his spot on the U.S. roster.

This will be Swayman’s fifth time representing the U.S. in various competitions, but his first Olympics, and that just hits different.

“You’re really hoping to be a part of it, but you always get caught by surprise when the phone call finally comes and it becomes reality,” Swayman said.

Swayman chose Maine because then coach Red Gendron offered nothing but opportunity. With his spot on the Olympic team secured, Swayman has another.