The Ottawa Senators have acquired goaltender Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins. The return on the deal is a 2024 first-round draft pick (25th overall), Mark Kastelic, and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo (25 percent/$1 million retained).
This deal comes after weeks of rumors of a potential deal between the two clubs. The Senators desperately needed an upgrade in net, and the Bruins had a surplus in star goaltenders. There were multiple teams interested in acquiring Ullmark, but the Senators had the biggest need.
Senators Get Vezina-Winning Goaltender
The last time the Ottawa Senators had a goaltender with this kind of pedigree was long ago. Since the departure of Craig Anderson, the Senators have had a carousel of goaltenders, and none of them worked out. Former general manager Pierre Dorion signed Korpisalo to his five-year, $4 million per season contract hoping he would be the solution, but less than a year after the signing the new general manager Steve Staios is retaining on his deal to get an upgrade.
Ullmark, who is 30 years old, is in the final year of his contract earning $5 million per season. While a contract extension can’t be signed until July 1, there is likely a handshake deal of an extension agreed upon before the trade. A five- or six-year deal worth close to $7 million would make sense for both sides, and Ottawa will just be happy to have a star goaltender with stability.
Bruins Get Their Draft Pick Back
The Bruins traded their 2024 first-round pick to the Detroit Red Wings for Tyler Bertuzzi, and Detroit sent the same pick to Ottawa in the Alex DeBrincat deal. The Ullmark trade brings the pick in a full circle, making the 25th overall pick property of the Bruins again.
Related: Senators Have Been a Goaltending Carousel Since Anderson
Having a tandem of Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman was a luxury. The Bruins knew they had an opportunity to get real assets for their backup goaltender, and any team in that situation would have agreed a trade made the most sense, especially with Swayman needing a new contract, which will be a big one.
The return might be a letdown for some Bruins fans. The first-round pick has a good amount of value, and Mark Kastelic is a solid depth center who can play physically and spark…
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