Boston Bruins trade Linus Ullmark, “A Priority”: Report.
The Boston Bruins are already heading into the offseason and the task at hand before the start of the following season after missing out on the conference finals for the fifth straight year.
Priority one on the agenda? Before the 2024 NHL draft is held in June of next year, sources state that they will be handling the goaltending dilemma and attempting to shift 1B Linus Ullmark to 1A Jeremy Swayman.
Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic reported on May 19 that sources close to the team indicate the Bruins have made that move a priority.
“The Bruins prioritize moving Ullmark before the 2024 NHL Draft,” Shinzawa noted. Trading Ullmark for futures, as the market initially anticipated, would provide much-needed action at the draft table in Las Vegas for (Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney) and his scouts.
Linus Ullmark Reluctance to Move In the middle of the season
According to Shinzawa’s account, Ullmark was worried about being traded in the middle of the season. But those problems had more to do with moving his family than they did with his intended destination.
According to a person close to the Boston Bruins goalie who spoke with Shinzawa, “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.”
Shinzawa said, “Whether Ullmark would feel the same way about an offseason trade is unknown,” following the release of such information.
The Bruins “had a deal on the table” that “didn’t end up crossing the finish line” on March 8, but neither Ullmark nor general manager Sweeney have disclosed if the goaltender fulfilled his no-trade clause.
Ullmark, who was named the best NHL goalkeeper in 2023 and won the Vezina Trophy, has one season remaining on his four-year, $20 million deal, which expires at the end of the 2024–25 season.
Linus Ullmark of the Bruins Talks About His Situation and Future
After remaining in Boston, Ullmark recorded a.915 save percentage over 39 regular-season starts at the end of the 2023–24 campaign. Swayman has a.916 save % in 43 starts while playing an ever larger role.
One of the most important Bruins players during the postseason was Ullmark’s net mate. Wayman
In a media appearance with the Bruins on May 19, Ullmark expressed his unwillingness to relocate his family during the season.
Ullmark praised Boston and the group, saying, “Everyone’s been so nice and so very caring, lovable,” via NESN. That gives you a sense of belonging. You want to stay there because of that.
Midway through the season, he went on to discuss the challenges of relocating his family, adding, “If you feel that your life is taken care of, that your family is well and they are thriving… you don’t want to uproot them just because.”
“I believe that applies to everyone who has families and children. What kind of employment you have is irrelevant.
Ullmark did not disclose the teams on his list while discussing his no-trade clause, which allows him to prevent a move to 16 teams. However, he did state, “There’s a reason why it’s there.”
There could be private matters. It is up to each and every participant to possess.
Ullmark stated he wanted to play for the Bruins in 2024–25 despite the trade rumors that had been circulating, referring to the upcoming campaign as a kind of “revenge tour.”
On May 19, Ullmark informed reporters, “I have one more year.” “The only thing I would want is to return here. Take a little tour of retaliation.
On July 1, Swayman will become a restricted free agent. Trading Ullmark, who CapFriendly estimates will make $5 million in the upcoming season, would help offset Swayman’s anticipated pay increase. Swayman is nearing the end of his arbitration-awarded one-year deal worth $3.475 million.
Shinzawa wrote, “The Bruins need help up front and on the left side of the defense.” Enhancing the team’s faltering offensive will be essential.
