Jeremy Swayman’s Stadium Series Mask Turns Heads - and Pays Tribute to the Bruins’ Unsung Heroes
TAMPA - When the Boston Bruins rolled into Raymond James Stadium for the NHL’s Stadium Series matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Jeremy Swayman made sure his gear would shine just as bright as the Florida sun. Literally.
The Bruins’ netminder went all-in on the team’s bold yellow Stadium Series look, debuting a fresh set of pads, gloves, and a custom-designed mask that had teammates - and equipment staff - reaching for sunglasses.
“The bag was glowing when I opened it up,” said Matt Falconer, the Bruins’ assistant equipment manager, as he unpacked Swayman’s gear. “It is pretty bright, but I guess it’s fitting for Florida. The guys shooting on him might need sunglasses.”
Swayman, known for his energy and personality as much as his steady play in net, leaned into the moment. “I don’t know - they let the colorblind kid choose his color scheme,” he joked. “I think it was a little brighter than expected, but I’ve gotten some pretty good feedback.”
But the real story wasn’t just the neon pads. It was the mask.
Swayman’s lid didn’t just sport the Bruins’ Stadium Series branding, the iconic bear-claw “B,” and a nod to Tampa’s pirate theme - it also featured a personal tribute to the behind-the-scenes crew that keeps the Bruins running. On the backplate? A cartoon sketch of the equipment and training staff riding in a golf cart, with Swayman drawn as his nickname, “Bulldog,” sitting alongside them.
“That was pretty cool. Obviously, I wasn't expecting that,” said Falconer.
“I didn’t know about it until today. It came in, and he kept saying, ‘Wait until you see my Stadium Series mask.’
It was a nice touch for us being on the mask.”
Swayman had been keeping the design under wraps until the team arrived at Warrior Ice Arena on Friday. That’s when the full mask was revealed - and it didn’t disappoint.
“I mentioned that they were going to like the helmet,” Swayman said. “I didn’t tell them exactly what I was doing.
I thought it was just a fun tribute to them. Everyone in here is super special to me - I wish I could put everyone on it.
But this one was just special because I’ve golfed with all of them in Florida, which is a great golfing state.”
That golf connection runs deep. Keith Robinson, the Bruins’ longtime head equipment manager - 38 years with the team, 15 in his current role - has teed it up with Swayman in the Sunshine State. And while the greens may be friendly, the Stadium Series setup is anything but routine for the equipment crew.
This is Robinson’s sixth outdoor game with the Bruins, but his first Stadium Series. And events like this don’t just happen - they’re built from the ground up by people like Robinson, Falconer, and the rest of the staff.
First, all the special-edition jerseys and gear had to be delivered to Boston, sorted, and packed. Then came the trip to Florida, where the crew loaded up a truck and transported everything to the stadium - a football venue that’s a far cry from the familiar confines of an NHL rink.
“We’re going into a new environment, we don’t know where we’re going, it’s kind of a whole different layout that we’re not used to,” Robinson explained. “So it adds a little bit of time to get the lay of the land and figure out where everything’s going.
We have to set up an equipment room, medical room, coaches, video - there is a lot of stuff. A football stadium is quite different than an NHL rink.
But it all went smoothly.”
By the time the players walked into their makeshift locker room for Saturday’s practice, it looked like home - thanks to the tireless work of the equipment team.
“It’s obviously a little extra gear than normal, but as far as the unload, it’s a typical unload, just different equipment in a different location, that’s all,” Falconer said. “When you’re the road team, it’s a little easier because you’re just coming in and playing the game instead of the home team, you’re responsible for a lot more.”
And while the logistics are demanding, the reward is real. Events like the Stadium Series break up the grind of a long NHL season and offer a unique experience for everyone involved - players and staff alike.
“Being part of it is obviously special,” Falconer added. “Any time you’re part of a special event like that, something that is a little off the normal routine, it’s really cool.
Not everybody gets to do them. It’s a busy season, but it gives you something different to look forward to.”
Swayman’s bright yellow setup sat beside fellow goaltender Joonas Korpisalo’s more understated black pads with yellow stitching. Korpisalo’s mask featured a roaring bear, claw marks, his familiar “KORPI” across the front, and a Finnish flag on the back - a personal touch of his own.
“It’s exciting just because we’re able to express ourselves a little differently and really embrace the difference of this game - bringing hockey outdoors and how fun this is,” Swayman said.
And from Robinson’s perspective, the mask tribute was a moment that captured the spirit of the event - and the bond between player and staff.
“It was a nice tribute to the equipment staff,” Robinson said. “When we saw the helmet yesterday, we were like, ‘Wow, this is kind of cool.’ That was a pleasant surprise.”
In a game that’s all about the details - from tape jobs to pad placement - it’s fitting that one of the most memorable details of this Stadium Series weekend came from a goalie giving credit where it’s due.