- Offizieller Beitrag
What I’m hearing about a Linus Ullmark trade, the Bruins’ No. 1 offseason priority
Fluto Shinzawa
Linus Ullmark expressed reservations about being moved before the March 8 trade deadline, primarily because an in-season deal might have required him to uproot his family, according to a source close to the Boston Bruins goaltender. The 30-year-old and his wife, Moa, have two school-aged children, Harry and Lily. Destination was not necessarily Ullmark’s concern.
Whether Ullmark would feel the same way about an offseason trade is unknown. Being traded in the summer would give Ullmark and his wife time to find a home and get their children settled in a new school by the start of the 2024-25 academic year.
Ullmark and general manager Don Sweeney have declined to answer whether the goalie exercised his partial trade protection. According to CapFriendly, 16 teams are on Ullmark’s no-trade list. He would have to approve a trade to any of those clubs.
Before the deadline, Ullmark voiced his concerns to Patrice Bergeron. Ullmark said it gave him comfort to speak to the former captain about his situation.
“I’m sure it wasn’t easy for him and his family,” Bergeron said at the time of Ullmark being in trade conversation. “He’s got kids enrolled in school. I’m sure his head was spinning. If it was going to happen, it’s like, ‘OK, what do I do? My kids are in school. My wife is here.’”
If Ullmark is willing to work with the Bruins regarding an offseason trade, it could help both parties proceed. Ullmark became an afterthought amid the rise of Jeremy Swayman, the Bruins’ top postseason performer. Becoming the No. 1 goalie for another team would give Ullmark an opportunity to earn either an extension or a new contract elsewhere as an unrestricted free agent in 2025.
Ullmark has one season remaining on his four-year, $20 million contract. The 2022-23 Vezina Trophy winner had a .915 save percentage over 39 regular-season starts in 2023-24. Swayman was at .916 in 43 starts. For a team chasing a net upgrade, trading for Ullmark would have a bigger impact than signing Ilya Samsonov, Cam Talbot or Alex Nedeljkovic, three goalies who will be unrestricted on July 1.
The Bruins, meanwhile, would clear the net for Swayman to be the No. 1 goalie. Swayman met the moment under the physical and mental duress of the playoffs, although he acknowledged falling short on Gustav Forsling’s winning goal in Game 6. Swayman’s 12-start run confirmed he is ready to be a workhorse. The Nashville Predators’ Juuse Saros led all goalies with 64 regular-season starts in 2023-24. Swayman made 43 starts.
Moving Ullmark would also create an opening for Brandon Bussi to be Swayman’s supporting actor. Bussi, 25, has yet to make an NHL appearance. The 6-foot-4, 218-pound Bussi had a .913 save percentage over 41 appearances for the Providence Bruins in 2023-24.
Swayman and Bussi will both be restricted free agents on July 1. Trading Ullmark and his $5 million average annual value would help offset the raise Swayman is due. Swayman is coming off his one-year, $3.475 million arbitration award. The Bruins had the option of selecting a two-year contract. In retrospect, the one-year deal was a costly decision.
Playoff teams seeking goaltending upgrades include the Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Bruins would be unlikely to help the Leafs improve in net.
Non-playoff teams with netminding needs include the Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks.
Moving Ullmark before the 2024 NHL Draft is a priority for the Bruins. They moved their first-, second-, third- and seventh-round picks in trades for Tyler Bertuzzi, Hampus Lindholm, Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway and Mike Callahan. Trading Ullmark for futures, as the market once projected, could get Sweeney and his scouts some much-needed action at the draft table in Las Vegas.
The return, however, could be more than just picks. The goalie market will be bigger in June than it was in March, when accommodating Ullmark’s cap hit would have limited the list of interested parties. The Bruins need help up front and on the left side of the defense.
Improving the team’s struggling offense will be critical. Trading Ullmark could be the first step.
