Bruins trade goalie to division rival (2024)

Linus Ullmark is on the move.

After months of speculation and rumors, the Bruins have traded the goalie to the Ottawa Senators, they announced on Monday night. In return, Boston will receive forward Mark Kastelic, goaltender Joonas Korpisalo and a 2024 first-round draft pick (25th overall).

The Senators will retain 25% of Korpisalo’s salary. The Bruins now have a projected $24.80 million in cap space.

Kastelic played in 63 games for the Senators last season and totaled five goals and as many assists. A physical forward, the 25-year-old ranked third in penalty minutes with 63 and fourth in hits with 126.

Korpisalo had a down season in 55 games for Ottawa. The 30-year-old posted a 21-26-4 record with a 3.27 goals-against average and .890 save percentage in 55 games. His contract — which has four years remaining — carries a $3 million cap hit.

Ullmark signed with the Bruins ahead of the 2021-22 NHL season after six seasons with the Buffalo Sabres. He had a successful tenure in Boston that included winning a Vezina Trophy after compiling a 40-6-1 record with a 1.89 goals-against average and .938 save percentage during the 2022-23 campaign.

News of the Bruins moving Ullmark began at this year’s NHL trade deadline. The goalie reportedly utilized his no-trade clause and axed a trade to the Los Angeles Kings. Rumors began to heat up again over the last few weeks.

While Ullmark wouldn’t confirm whether he blocked the trade during the Bruins’ breakup day in May, he did admit being part of trade talks was new territory for him. And while the rumors were hard to hear, he was hopeful to remain in Boston.

“That’s also one of the things that was new for me this year. I’ve never been a part of any trade talks before, so that was a new experience,” Ullmark said. “Was it hard? Yeah, it was hard because you’re very comfortable where you are. You don’t want to move when you feel like you’re playing well and you have the team and your teammates.

“So with that popping up now, I’m not the only one that has been in trade talks, obviously,” he continued. “There were other goaltenders out there in the league as well that had a lot of rumors with that they might get dealt and there might not be any opportunities for any of them. And for me, it’s above my pay grade as well, really.

“If I could, I’m probably going to say the same thing as everybody else: I want to stay and I’m going to stay. But yeah, we’ll live in a world where in professional sports we’ve got to deal with the hand you’ve been dealt,” Ullmark concluded. “Like I said, I have one more year. I wouldn’t want anything else than to come back here, and get a little bit of a revenge tour.”

Ullmark helped the 2022-23 Bruins to a historic regular season. They were the team to beat in the NHL and set a new regular-season record for wins. But despite being favorites in the Stanley Cup playoffs, they were eliminated by the Florida Panthers in the first round.

The revenge didn’t come this past year after Florida once again eliminated Boston, but this time in the second round.

General manager Don Sweeney also said he’d explore all options when it came to Ullmark this offseason.

The Ullmark trade also ends the goalie hugs he did with counterpart Jeremy Swayman after every win. The duo not only were one of the league’s top tandems the last two seasons, but were close friends off the ice. But with the emergence of Swayman last season, coupled with his playoff performance, the Bruins made the move they thought was best for for the future of this team.

Sweeney said he’d be “aggressive” this summer, and this is Boston’s first big move of the offseason.