Sens go Ull-in

The Stanley Cup final isn't the only excitement in the NHL tonight, as the Ottawa Senators announce that they have acquired goaltender Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins. The trade sees Senators' goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, forward Mark Kastelic, and the 25th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft going the other way. As part of the terms of the transaction, the Senators will retain 25% of the remaining salary owed to Korpisalo.

The Senators receive Ullmark, who had a 22-10-7 record this past season with the Bruins. He also posted a .915 save percentage and 2.57 goals against average. This follows a remarkable season in 2022-23, where he posted a 40-6-1 record to accompany a .938 save percentage and a 1.89 goals against average. The Sweden native, 30, is the most recent winner of the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender, which was awarded to him following the 2022-23 season.

The 2022-23 season was one full of accolades for Ullmark, as it also saw him named to the NHL First All-Star Team, play in the NHL All-Star Game, and be awarded the William M. Jennings Trophy as a goaltender on the NHL team that allowed the fewest goals all season.

Ullmark was drafted 163rd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. The Swedish netminder spent six seasons playing for both the Sabres and their AHL affiliate the Rochester Americans, solidifying himself as an NHL-regular in the 2018-19 season. In 2021, Ullmark joined the Boston Bruins as a free agent, signing a 4-year contract. In 247 career regular season NHL games, Ullmark has an impressive .918 save percentage and 2.51 goals against average.

Boston receives a hard-hitting centerman in Kastelic. A 2019 fifth-round draft pick of Ottawa at 125th overall, Kastelic skated in 63 games for the Sens last season, recording five goals and five assists for a 10-point total. Kastelic appeared in 144 regular season games over the course of three seasons with the Senators between 2021-2024.

With Ullmark heading to Ottawa, Boston had a hole to fill in their goaltending tandem. Joonas Korpisalo is headed their way, where he will be the one to slot in. The 30-year-old Finnish netminder joined the Senators on July 1, 2023, signing a 5-year contract as a free agent. In his season with the Sens, Korpisalo appeared in 55 games, posting a .890 save percentage and a 3.27 goals against average. Korpisalo recorded his first win with the Senators in a 5-2 victory over Tampa Bay on October 15, 2023. Prior to his stint with the Senators, Korpisalo also laced up for the Los Angeles Kings and the Columbus Blue Jackets, the latter of whom drafted him 62nd overall in the third round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Also headed Boston's way is the 25th overall draft pick in this weekend's upcoming 2024 NHL Entry Draft. It's a homecoming for the pick that was originally the Bruins’ to begin with. The Senators acquired the 25th overall pick from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Alex DeBrincat. The trade also saw Ottawa acquire forward Dominik Kubalik, prospect defenceman Donovan Sebrango, and Detroit's 2024 fourth-round pick. The Red Wings had originally acquired the pick from Boston in a trade that sent Tyler Bertuzzi to Boston.

With Ottawa's preseason schedule released earlier today, Sens fans already have dates to mark on their calendar for Ullmark's Senators' debut and chances to see him play live.