We knew there were discussions regarding Linus Ullmark.
It’s now official: Ullmark has been traded.
The goaltender is heading to Ottawa, and in return, the Boston Bruins get their hands on Joonas Korpisalo, the 25th overall pick in the next draft, and Mark Kastelic.
What bad timing for the NHL, as the trade was made official a few minutes before the start of the ultimate Stanley Cup game.
The draft is in 4 days… And teams need to start moving. The NHL is shooting itself in the foot.
A major trade within the same division is quite rare.
But it can happen, as this transaction shows us.
This risks creating a greater rivalry between the Bruins and the Sens, especially with agitator Mark Kastelic who is heading to Boston and who could add some grit and intensity on the fourth line.
We know that the Senators have been looking for a true #1 goalie for quite a while now and that Linus Ullmark was at the heart of the trade rumors to change address.
The Bruins want to trust Jeremy Swayman, who had a very good season, posting a 25-10-8 record, a save percentage of 0.916 and a goals against average of 2.53.
The Bruins acquired goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, who has four years left on his contract earning him $4 million per year.
He will be the club’s #2 goalkeeper, even if it’s a bit expensive.
On the other hand, we can wonder if the addition of Ullmark to the Sens will propel them to the next level.
They will surely be more competitive now that they have their right-hand man.
Prolongation
The Sens were ready to trade the 7th pick of the next draft.
Is this still the case?
Note also that Linus Ullmark is expected to sign a long-term contract extension in Ottawa in the coming days.
What will his deal look like? Only time will tell.
