Staios needs to find a legitimate plan B to Ullmark and progress those trade talks to the point that Boston either has to make the deal or not.
Ullmark has a partial-NTC, but he also has a full-NTC by proxy because no team will give up top assets for him without an extension. He is going to require a substantial commitment both in AAV and terms. There won't be many teams able to give him that on top of giving up A-level assets.
I don't think keeping him is an option for Boston. First, players usually don't like when teams drag their names through trade rumors, have legitimate avenues to allow them to move on and in this case secure the biggest contract of their career, but the team doesn't move them because they want too much in return. We see it all the time where fans say "We can keep him, we don't have to trade him.", but then before training camp, the player is gone because holding on to them like that is not possible in real life where teams have to manage relationships with player agents, and their own roster players.
Additionally, they would benefit from using his cap space to fill another need. They have 21M in cap space with 17 players already signed, but Swayman needs an extension. Swayman is going to get 8 million on a long-term deal. If they keep Ullmark at 5M, that puts them in a situation where they only have about 8M to fill 4 roster spots. While that is doable, it doesn't leave them much room to add a defenseman or a forward who can be a difference maker. Conversely, if they trade Ullmark to Ottawa for Chychrun, it shifts Ullmarks cap hit to a position of greater need.
The Bruins likely think that Ottawa doesn't have leverage because they cannot afford another losing season with Brady's NMC looming, and relationships between the team and some players already tested - and goalie is the biggest position of need. Not to mention, the past regime was always very aggressive to pay when they wanted a player. So perhaps teams feel that we can be pushed into doing that again. That is why Staios needs a legitimate backup plan that he is fine with, where he can progress the talks to a point that if he turns around and says to Boston x y z for Ullmark, final offer or else we're going with John Gibson or whoever it may be, there is actual gravity to the threat.
