Player Discussion Linus Ullmark (G)

[BoardsofCanada]

The first goal last night was soft and should've never gone in. I blame Jensen for the second. He doesn't get the puck out and coughs it up to one of the deadliest shooters in the league. I don't blame Ullmark for the third. Cozens should've been covering Patches who releases a perfect shot inside the post.

Overall, I'm not happy with Ullmark. To win the series, we needed him to be in god mode. But he's our guy for the next four seasons so the only solution is to improve the D in front of him. Start by replacing Jensen with someone better.

 

[ColinM]

That’s a fair expectation if it was Forsberg in net.

I feel the same way. Expectations were high for the former Vezna Trophy Winner yet there were nights I felt he was lacking.

Last night he made some solid saves but also had some luck with the posts. Even after they tied the game up at 2, I was worried about the 3 goal rule that seems to be the norm this season.

 

[Masked]

We brought him in to get us to the playoffs. He did that.

He let in 10 goals in regulation time in the last five games of the series. That's not terrible. He's no Patrick Roy but goalies like that don't really exist these days.

 

[vandelay]

The first goal was the same as the third. Two perfectly placed shots. You'd lije him to gave one or both but that's the way she goes.

 

[Adele Dazeem]

The first goal was the same as the third. Two perfectly placed shots. You'd lije him to gave one or both but that's the way she goes.

His pad should get to the post, first goal is inexcusable. Third goal was a dagger, not much that could be done other than closing in on Pacioretty which Cozens failed to do.

 

[Hale The Villain]

Let in 2.1 more goals than expected, which is not what you want or expect from an elite regular season goalie set to make over 8M next year.

At the same time he basically was fine overall after his horrific performance in the first game. Didn't completely choke like in previous years

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Ok series, but the only way we were going to win was if he was the best goalie in the series and he wasn't.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

We lost this series because of him.

He was outplayed by Stolarz. Stolarz isn't a top 10 goalie. Ullmark is paid to play like one.

At the end, Ullmark was reason we lost. Especially with us losing 2 OT games and his sv% is 886%

Why am I not worried? Because we have Leevi who is the real deal. Ullmark helped us get into the playoffs, Leevi will take us further.

 

[Gil Gunderson]

We lost this series because of him.

He was outplayed by Stolarz. Stolarz isn't a top 10 goalie. Ullmark is paid to play like one.

At the end, Ullmark was reason we lost. Especially with us losing 2 OT games and his sv% is 886%

Why am I not worried? Because we have Leevi who is the real deal. Ullmark helped us get into the playoffs, Leevi will take us further.

Having a starting goalie chewing up 8.25 mil (with an NMC) when you think the backup is actually the guy sounds like a cause for concern to me.

Especially if there's an expansion draft within the next 4 years...oh boy.

 

[Alex1234]

16th/19 goalie with .880

We were not EDM,Tampa or Winnipeg to make up for it

Needed to be better

Maybe next season

 

[Norris4Norris]

Ullmark spent his entire career, outside of this year, as being part of a 1A 1B tandem with Swayman.

Next year, I believe, will be that sort of deal where Merilainen takes 41 games and Ullmark takes 41 games.

Then by the playoffs I hope Merilainen takes over and hopefully performs better under higher pressure situations than Ullmark has.

 

[GCK]

Ullmark wasn’t great in game 1 but he was good the rest of the series.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Good goalie, but not $8 million good. Goaltending is not a fair position....you want to be considered elite, you need to make that "impossible" save every couple of games. And that's a real problem emerging with this team. A whole lot of contracts that are a million or two above the talent level. We're damned lucky the cap is going up....but we're still behind teams that didn't overpay their core.

He also seems to have a real issue with tracking long shots. Those goals from near the blueline that may get a slight tip and go in....those look awful on replays. And that's a big part of why so many are disappointed in him. You have a scramble in front of the net with three guys all jamming their sticks in there and a goal goes in, no one blames the goalie. But a shot from 30 feet away...that looks bad.

Now...despite all of that, I do think Ullmark can be better. I think he gets settled in now and gets his back/upper body issues fully behind him and a good summer of training...I think he can reach that next level.

 

[SpezDispenser]

He kept us in it every game but the first. No reason to complain at all

 

[aragorn]

While he played well at times, at other times he looked shaky especially when he tried to handle the puck which always surprises me some of these goalies are so bad at handling the puck. He also let in a number of shots from quite a distance away & at times lost his net. We see that at times he can make spectacular saves & at others not so much. Not really sure what we will see in future with him, not really sure how Merilainen will play next yr either if he is promoted but i like him in net. Not sure our problems in net are solved yet, I expected him to be much better.

 

[DylanSensFan]

I am not really sure what y'all are looking for. Complaining he's making $8-mill next year and that he didn't get us past the Leafs is a bit of bunk from my perspective. Two goalies earning more than him never made the playoffs. This fanbase needs to be more realistic at times. I'd say, like the team, Ullmark made strides in the playoffs this year. He had his first playoff shutout and didn't play that bad in game 6. Saying we need this or we need that or expecting Meri to save the day are pretty unrealistic expectations honestly.

 

[DylanSensFan]

While he played well at times, at other times he looked shaky especially when he tried to handle the puck which always surprises me some of these goalies are so bad at handling the puck. He also let in a number of shots from quite a distance away & at times lost his net. We see that at times he can make spectacular saves & at others not so much. Not really sure what we will see in future with him, not really sure how Merilainen will play next yr either if he is promoted but i like him in net. Not sure our problems in net are solved yet, I expected him to be much better.

I think we are seeing different goalies. Ullmark is a high quality puck handler. He's one of the only goalies in the league with an empty net goal. He's very capable of handling the puck, including making passes and other plays. He's proven that in quite a few games this season. He didn't have good crease control in parts of this series and even parts of the season. I think it was a mistake to rest him going into the playoffs. I think he should have played all of the remaining games before we faced Toronto. He seems like a goalie who needs to play in order to play well.

 

[Sun God Nika]

Getting Ullmark we knew he was a goalie that will likely lead us to the playoffs but his record in the playoffs has been pretty spotty.

But all we wanted was to just make the playoffs we didn't care after that, since we missed the playoffs for 7 straight seasons. Obviously there was the hope Ullmark could change the narrative once he entered the playoffs and I think he did to a little extent. If those OT games went the other way we would be praising him right now. Thats how tight the playoffs are one goal is the difference between a god and a bum.

Here is hoping Levi and Ullmark both have good years next season. We all know Ullmark will get the first look in the playoffs if we make em. so lets hope he is more calm.

I am also curious if he gets a surgery this summer with the back issues that have been bothering him.

Ullmark spent his entire career, outside of this year, as being part of a 1A 1B tandem with Swayman.

Next year, I believe, will be that sort of deal where Merilainen takes 41 games and Ullmark takes 41 games.

Then by the playoffs I hope Merilainen takes over and hopefully performs better under higher pressure situations than Ullmark has.

Issue is if we go with a tandem next year and they are both good, they will give Ullmark first look in the playoffs so by the time/if Levi gets his chance the sens might already be in a tough spot.

 

[Boud]

I think we are seeing different goalies. Ullmark is a high quality puck handler. He's one of the only goalies in the league with an empty net goal. He's very capable of handling the puck, including making passes and other plays. He's proven that in quite a few games this season. He didn't have good crease control in parts of this series and even parts of the season. I think it was a mistake to rest him going into the playoffs. I think he should have played all of the remaining games before we faced Toronto. He seems like a goalie who needs to play in order to play well.

This and also he usually plays better when he sees a lot of pucks.

 

[Boud]

Good goalie, but not $8 million good. Goaltending is not a fair position....you want to be considered elite, you need to make that "impossible" save every couple of games. And that's a real problem emerging with this team. A whole lot of contracts that are a million or two above the talent level. We're damned lucky the cap is going up....but we're still behind teams that didn't overpay their core.

He also seems to have a real issue with tracking long shots. Those goals from near the blueline that may get a slight tip and go in....those look awful on replays. And that's a big part of why so many are disappointed in him. You have a scramble in front of the net with three guys all jamming their sticks in there and a goal goes in, no one blames the goalie. But a shot from 30 feet away...that looks bad.

Now...despite all of that, I do think Ullmark can be better. I think he gets settled in now and gets his back/upper body issues fully behind him and a good summer of training...I think he can reach that next level.

To be fair the core is not overpaid.

Tkachuk
Stutzle
Sanderson
Batherson
Pinto
Zub

Are all worth more than their current contracts.

Chabot, Jensen, Amadio, Greig are pretty much where they should be.

Cozens still a bit of an unknown but he could be overpaid….After that I mean you have Perron who you could maybe consider overpaid.

Zetterlund and G need contracts.

We’re in a damn good shape cap wise. Not many teams have their core locked in all at or below market value.

After looking for a real #1 goalie for years we finally have a guy who has a track record that gave us goaltending that was good for 9th best save % in the NHL in his first year here while battling injuries. We are blessed with this guy back there.

 

[jbeck5]

Though he did improve as the series went on, he never really seemed to steel a game like an Anderson, or heck.. even a lalime against Philly.

I would hope he has a shorter leash next year in the playoffs.

If we go down 2-0 and he has a sub .900 sv%, he needs to not see the ice again.

We can't afford another playoffs with shitty goaltending.

Normally goalies improve their numbers in the playoffs. He should be getting .920sv% or we need to find a better goalie.

 

[jbeck5]

The first goal last night was soft and should've never gone in. I blame Jensen for the second. He doesn't get the puck out and coughs it up to one of the deadliest shooters in the league. I don't blame Ullmark for the third. Cozens should've been covering Patches who releases a perfect shot inside the post.

Overall, I'm not happy with Ullmark. To win the series, we needed him to be in god mode. But he's our guy for the next four seasons so the only solution is to improve the D in front of him. Start by replacing Jensen with someone better.

Or we get a backup that's capable of going on runs and we turn to him when ullmark is stinking it up...and we don't give him a long leash.

 

[jbeck5]

We lost this series because of him.

He was outplayed by Stolarz. Stolarz isn't a top 10 goalie. Ullmark is paid to play like one.

At the end, Ullmark was reason we lost. Especially with us losing 2 OT games and his sv% is 886%

Why am I not worried? Because we have Leevi who is the real deal. Ullmark helped us get into the playoffs, Leevi will take us further.

But aren't we losing him to expansion draft?

 

[Icelevel]

To be fair the core is not overpaid.

Tkachuk
Stutzle
Sanderson
Batherson
Pinto
Zub

Are all worth more than their current contracts.

Chabot, Jensen, Amadio, Greig are pretty much where they should be.

Cozens still a bit of an unknown but he could be overpaid….After that I mean you have Perron who you could maybe consider overpaid.

Zetterlund and G need contracts.

We’re in a damn good shape cap wise. Not many teams have their core locked in all at or below market value.

After looking for a real #1 goalie for years we finally have a guy who has a track record that gave us goaltending that was good for 9th best save % in the NHL in his first year here while battling injuries. We are blessed with this guy back there.

That core is not good enough. Although they’re all good players. The unit overall is not good enough.

 

[jbeck5]

Ullmark wasn’t great in game 1 but he was good the rest of the series.

He also wasn't great in the first period of game 2.

To allow 6 pretty easy goals in game 1 followed by 2 goals in the first period of game 2 is putting your team way behind the 8 ball, even if he rounded out to "average" goaltending after that.

He's not paid to be bad and then average. He's paid to be well above average.

If we're to make any noise in the playoffs, we need to look at goalie playoff stats and see ullmark in top 3 in GAA and SV%

Are you confident that he can be a leader in playoff stats?