The Boston Bruins made their first major move of the offseason Monday night and decided to split up their stellar goalie tandem.
Bruins general manager Don Sweeney announced the team traded goalie Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forward Mark Kastelic, goaltender Joonas Korpisalo and the No. 25 overall pick in this year's NHL draft.
The Senators also will retain 25% of Korpisalo's salary. He still has four years left on his contract at $4 million per year.
Ullmark, who spent three seasons with Boston, won the Vezina Trophy for the 2022-23 season -- he tied the franchise record with 40 wins to go along with a .938 save percentage and a 1.89 goals-against average -- and created a formidable one-two punch in net with Jeremy Swayman. But the Bruins signaled Swayman was their goalie for the present, and future, when they gave him the net over Ullmark in the playoffs this past season. Swayman started 12 of 13 postseason games.
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The Bruins thanked Ullmark with a social media post and tribute video shortly after the trade was announced.
"For all the hugs, the goalie goal, the Vezina, and so much more -- thank you, Linus, for everything you've done for the Spoked-B," the Bruins posted on the X platform. "We wish you and your family nothing but the best in your next chapter."
The Bruins get back a bottom-six forward in Kastelic, who has good size at 6-foot-4 and 226 pounds but didn't provide much production for the Senators last season. He tallied five goals and five assists for 10 points in 63 games.
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Korpisalo could now assume the role of Swayman's backup. The 30-year-old was solid over seven-plus seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets and a brief stint with the Los Angeles Kings, but he comes off one of the worst campaigns of his career. Korpisalo posted a 21-26-4 record with a 3.27 goals-against average and a .890 save percentage in his first and only season with the Senators. Brandon Bussi, who signed a two-way contract extension earlier Monday, also could compete to for a backup spot.
Ullmark, who posted a 22-10-7 record this past season with a 2.57 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage, was involved in trade rumors leading up to the NHL trade deadline in March but ended up staying put. He is going into the final year of his contract and carries a $5 million cap hit. Trying to hang on to Ullmark at that number and give Jeremy Swayman a big, long-term deal -- Swayman is a restricted free agent -- certainly would have tied up Boston's cap situation, especially with needs elsewhere on the ice.
The Bruins now will have around $24 million in cap space with NHL free agency beginning next Monday.
Featured image via Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Sports Images
