Linus Ullmark signed a four-year, $33 million contract with the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday. It has an average annual value of $8.25 million and begins next season.
The 31-year-old goalie, who has one season remaining on a four-year, $20 million contract ($5 million AAV) he signed with the Boston Bruins on July 28, 2021, could have become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
"It's sort of like a surreal feeling just because I'm still processing the whole thing," Ullmark said. "I saw my family now when they came in. I almost had tears in my eyes because it's such a monumental thing. Looking back throughout my career, there's been a lot of hardships. There's been a lot of things that I probably wouldn't like to relive, but I did it. I'm here today. I'm standing here as the man, the husband and the hockey player [I am] just because of it. And I'm trying to bring all of my experience from those hardships and also the good times into this organization. I'm very thankful that I have now the opportunity to build something long term.
"To all the people of Ottawa and Gatineau, I've felt the support and the love right from the start. It took me literally five minutes to be recognized when I went out for coffee my first day here. At that point, as well, you can tell that it's a Canadian market and that hockey is what it's all about."
Ullmark, who has yet to play a game with the Senators, was acquired in a trade with the Bruins on June 24 for goalie Joonas Korpisalo, forward Mark Kastelic and a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
"We felt very confident at the time when we had an opportunity to acquire Linus that he'd be a great fit in Ottawa," Senators general manager Steve Staios said. "What we didn't know ... we thought we knew a little bit about his character and his leadership, but just having him here for the first six weeks here in the city, in and around our team, that has become quite clear and quite evident, and it's tangible. The way he carries himself, his passion for the game, his leadership, his commitment to his teammates is something that we welcome here and we're trying to add more people and players like Linus.
"I feel like the culture is changing here in Ottawa. We have a Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender who is committed to our organization for the next five years. I've said it before, I think that I've played in a lot of Canadian markets, as well, and they're all special in their own way, but I do feel that this is a special place for our players, the passionate fan base, and we're all looking forward to getting started here."
Ullmark was 22-10-7 with a 2.57 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and two shutouts in 40 regular-season games (39 starts) with Boston last season. He was 0-1 with a 3.90 GAA and .886 save percentage in two Stanley Cup Playoff games (one start).
"It was important for Linus," Senators coach Travis Green said. "He wanted to play where he enjoyed living. It says a lot about Ottawa that he wants to stay here. We want Ottawa to be a destination place for players. I know I personally really enjoyed everything about Ottawa so far. It's a great place to be and the fact that he's committed is a credit to this city, too."
Selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the sixth round (No. 163) of the 2012 NHL Draft, Ullmark is 138-73-23 with a 2.51 GAA, .919 save percentage and eight shutouts in 247 regular-season games (238 starts) for the Sabres and Bruins. He is 3-6 with a 3.59 GAA and .887 save percentage in 10 playoff games (nine starts).
In 2022-23, Ullmark won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goalie after he went 40-6-1 with a 1.89 GAA, .938 save percentage and two shutouts in 49 regular-season games (48 starts). After starting Boston's first six games against the Florida Panthers in the 2023 Eastern Conference First Round, he was replaced by Jeremy Swayman for Game 7, a 4-3 loss in overtime. Boston opted to trade Ullmark this offseason and keep Swayman, who they signed to an eight-year, $66 million contract ($8.25 million AAV) on Oct. 6.
"Definitely a good day," Senators captain Brady Tkachuk said. "I think it's, of course, well deserved for the career that he's had so far. I think he's just kind of created that spark for our team, so I'm really excited for him and his family.
"His calm demeanor is the thing that stands out the most and what he's kind of learned from past teams, the leadership of those previous teams, and he's already brought it not just on the ice but off the ice as well."
The Senators begin the regular season against the Panthers at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; RDS2, TSN5, SCRIPPS).
"If everything is taken care of off the ice, it's a lot easier to focus on what's important on the ice," Ullmark said. "This will enable me together with my family to really settle in, because it really doesn't matter what is going to happen during the season. We know that we're in a good place as a family, as a team, as a community, that it doesn't matter what's going to happen. We always know that we have something to fall back on and we can deal with those things that happen along the way, instead of feeling that the boat is starting to capsize here and at home."
NHL.com independent correspondent Callum Fraser contributed to this report
