Confirmed with Link: Linus Ullmark Traded to Senators

[UncleRico]

Well it would be nice to be on the winning side of a trade with one of Boston's best assets this year but Sweeney failed. There is no easy way to sugar coat this one. His track record in trades is not very impressive at all. (Zacha, Coyle and Hall trades were his top moves) Many of his moves have us giving 1st and 2nd round picks like giving out candy. That's not a good look, especially when he can't get good draft picks in return on his deals. Letting UFA players walk for nothing is not good either. (Lindholm, Chara, Krug, Bertuzzi, Orlov, DeBrusk, etc.) Taking on reclamation projects is not winning formula, especially when they have cap implications. ( Kase, Ritchie, Rielly, and now Korpisalo) This would include signing UFA's that have come back to bite ( Backus, Beleskey, Rielly, Moore).
So good luck with the 25th overall pick in a week draft. We know how some of our top draft picks have made out (Senyshyn, Zboril, Studnicka, Anderson, Vaakanainen,). So after 10 years of Sweeney has Boston done very well. That would be questionable.

I guess the thing for me is I don’t even care if we won or lost the trade. If we got a top 9 forward or even a defender that we could confidently look at and be like “alright this guy will improve our playoff roster” then I would have been happy “losing the trade”

This team isn’t struggling in the regular season. Best regular season team in the league the last decade and they’ve made it past the 2nd round of the playoffs once.

They needed to pick up a playoff contributor or cap space to go out and get a playoff contributor. They did neither of those things.

 

[ODAAT]

I guess the thing for me is I don’t even care if we won or lost the trade. If we got a top 9 forward or even a defender that we could confidently look at and be like “alright this guy will improve our playoff roster” then I would have been happy “losing the trade”

This team isn’t struggling in the regular season. Best regular season team in the league the last decade and they’ve made it past the 2nd round of the playoffs once.

They needed to pick up a playoff contributor or cap space to go out and get a playoff contributor. They did neither of those things.

in all fairness, dealing with the Sens, finding someone who is a "playoff contributor" isn`t easy

Think maybe too many had higher expectations for Ullmark return

 

[BruinDust]

in all fairness, dealing with the Sens, finding someone who is a "playoff contributor" isn`t easy

Think maybe too many had higher expectations for Ullmark return

I think everyone had expectations that it would be Ullmark with a wink-wink extension in hand going back. But turns out that doesn't seem to be the case. And really if he already had reservations about relocating to Ottawa or working for the Sens organization, can you blame him? The Sens reputation off-ice isn't exactly stellar in terms of how they treat their players and employees. It's going to take time for Andlauer and Co. to change that narrative.

The value of Ullmark with extension vs. Ullmark wanting to see how it goes are clearly different things.

 

[UncleRico]

in all fairness, dealing with the Sens, finding someone who is a "playoff contributor" isn`t easy

Think maybe too many had higher expectations for Ullmark return

My expectations were a top 9 forward or any form of an everyday LHD. Or cap space. I would have taken a pure salary dump. Those aren’t high expectations.

I don’t think that’s too much to ask. Apparently with Sweeney it is.

 

[Gonzothe7thDman]

I think everyone had expectations that it would be Ullmark with a wink-wink extension in hand going back. But turns out that doesn't seem to be the case. And really if he already had reservations about relocating to Ottawa or working for the Sens organization, can you blame him? The Sens reputation off-ice isn't exactly stellar in terms of how they treat their players and employees. It's going to take time for Andlauer and Co. to change that narrative.

The value of Ullmark with extension vs. Ullmark wanting to see how it goes are clearly different things.

So my thought process is, if he isn't sold on Ottawa but was willing to waive to test it out before an extension, why wouldn't he have done that for a handful of other locations? He isn't in Boston beyond next offseason. He has to find a new NHL home. So he has to eventually pick somehwere.

 

[TCB]

I personally have no issues spending 3m on a backup depending on who it is. The salary cap hit isn't my biggest concern.

Me neither, and Korpi hopefully works out, but again what a terrible job by Sweeney on asset management, another team would of gotten a pick attached with Korpi. The sens wanted to move that contract so bad, and then with Sweeney over eagerness to get back in the first round and trade Linus, he ends up gift wrapping Ullmark to the Sens and takes on Korpi contract for them. Terrible trade by Donny even if Korpi turns it around. At least a 2nd round pick should of came the Bruins way as well!

Jeff Gorton took on Monahan contract and received a first round pick for doing so, a year later he trades Monahan and receives yet another 1st round pick for him, That's how you build and manage your team!

 

[DKH]

in all fairness, dealing with the Sens, finding someone who is a "playoff contributor" isn`t easy

Think maybe too many had higher expectations for Ullmark return

Lou/Dan extension Ullmark

25OA
Ostapchuk (Dan)
Kleven (Lou)
Forsberg (50% retained)

We only had one prospect going back- I had Ostapchuk

Ullmark no extension
25OA
Kasterlic (Lou…Lou talked Dan into it lol)
Forsberg (50 % retained)

I was pretty excited about Chychrun, high picks etc but I couldn’t believe Staios was that dumb

 

[BruinDust]

So my thought process is, if he isn't sold on Ottawa but was willing to waive to test it out before an extension, why wouldn't he have done that for a handful of other locations? He isn't in Boston beyond next offseason. He has to find a new NHL home. So he has to eventually pick somehwere.

Maybe he likes those other locations even less. Toronto supposedly expressed interest and were shot down. I'm guessing all 7 Canadian based teams were on his no-trade list. I can see where Ottawa would be the most appealing of the Canadian-based teams if being close to the Eastern time-zone was important to him. It's not the intense pressure cooker that Toronto or Montreal are.

I'd love to know who were the US-based teams he was blocking.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

Maybe he likes those other locations even less. Toronto supposedly expressed interest and were shot down. I'm guessing all 7 Canadian based teams were on his no-trade list. I can see where Ottawa would be the most appealing of the Canadian-based teams if being close to the Eastern time-zone was important to him. It's not the intense pressure cooker that Toronto or Montreal are.

I'd love to know who were the US-based teams he was blocking.

It’s also quite possible the return from teams not on his list was worse since he is committed to not extending and going to UFA.

 

[ODAAT]

My expectations were a top 9 forward or any form of an everyday LHD. Or cap space. I would have taken a pure salary dump. Those aren’t high expectations.

I don’t think that’s too much to ask. Apparently with Sweeney it is.

they got an extra million or so, first rounder and a vet goalie who has played on some horrific teams and a possible nasty player for the 4th line for a guy with a NTC or NMC who waived, who was ousted as the B`s #1 and who played what? 40 or so games last year.

I`m not gonna bash Sweeney for this move....yet, I will reserve final judgement for after the draft and FA market is over and done with

 

[BruinDust]

Jeff Gorton took on Monahan contract and received a first round pick for doing so, a year later he trades Monahan and receives yet another 1st round pick for him, That's how you build and manage your team!

In all fairness that might be the only time in the salary cap era where a team took on a bad contract for a high pick, and the player turned his career around so drastically that they were able to flip him for another high pick a couple years later. Pretty rare stuff and not something that should be expected to happen often if at all.

 

[goldenblack]

At Korpi making 2M, literally nobody cares right?

We're doing this for 1M?

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

I will miss sitting next to Linus when he was back up. He was lots of fun on the bench and was nice to us.

He was also Sways biggest fan. Their friendship looked real to me.

I hope Sway gets signed and can handle the full-time job.

Yea. I was referring to Steve dangle - not Linus.

 

[ODAAT]

Lou/Dan extension Ullmark

25OA
Ostapchuk (Dan)
Kleven (Lou)
Forsberg (50% retained)

We only had one prospect going back- I had Ostapchuk

Ullmark no extension
25OA
Kasterlic (Lou…Lou talked Dan into it lol)
Forsberg (50 % retained)

I was pretty excited about Chychrun, high picks etc but I couldn’t believe Staios was that dumb

having seen Ostapchuk play many games live, would have been nice but I feel the Sens know they have a solid one there

At Korpi making 2M, literally nobody cares right?

We're doing this for 1M?

yes, he is also taking up a massive 3-4% of the B`s overall cap

 

[Gonzothe7thDman]

Maybe he likes those other locations even less. Toronto supposedly expressed interest and were shot down. I'm guessing all 7 Canadian based teams were on his no-trade list. I can see where Ottawa would be the most appealing of the Canadian-based teams if being close to the Eastern time-zone was important to him. It's not the intense pressure cooker that Toronto or Montreal are.

I'd love to know who were the US-based teams he was blocking.

But if Boston wanted to hold onto him (which he has said he wanted to stay), what would his option have been next year in FA? He can't do a trial run with any team at that point, he would have had to commit.

I am just very confused by his thought process as it doesn't seem very logical.

Only thing i can think of is he has absolutely zero clue where he wants to finish his career but Ottawa was maybe on the short list. This trade while he still has a year on his deal gives him the chance to test it out and possibly scratch one team off his list if he doesn't like the city/team.

 

[UncleRico]

they got an extra million or so, first rounder and a vet goalie who has played on some horrific teams and a possible nasty player for the 4th line for a guy with a NTC or NMC who waived, who was ousted as the B`s #1 and who played what? 40 or so games last year.

I`m not gonna bash Sweeney for this move....yet, I will reserve final judgement for after the draft and FA market is over and done with

They did nothing to improve their playoff roster which is my point.

The closest thing they got is a 4th liner who was healthy scratched a handful of times the past two seasons on a bottom feeder like Ottawa.

How does this move improve this team at all in the playoffs?

This is a deal a lottery team makes in a rebuild.

 

[MarchysNoseKnows]

But if Boston wanted to hold onto him (which he has said he wanted to stay), what would his option have been next year in FA? He can't do a trial run with any team at that point, he would have had to commit.

I am just very confused by his thought process as it doesn't seem very logical.

Only thing i can think of is he has absolutely zero clue where he wants to finish his career but Ottawa was maybe on the short list. This trade while he still has a year on his deal gives him the chance to test it out and possibly scratch one team off his list if he doesn't like the city/team.

With the cap going up big again, and another terrible crop of goalies as UFA, he has a chance to hit it big and control his own destiny.

I’m surprised at how many NHL players didn’t wait and time being a UFA for the cap bonanza. Exact opposite of what happened when NBA and NFL had their huge jumps.

 

[Gonzothe7thDman]

With the cap going up big again, and another terrible crop of goalies as UFA, he has a chance to hit it big and control his own destiny.

I’m surprised at how many NHL players didn’t wait and time being a UFA for the cap bonanza. Exact opposite of what happened when NBA and NFL had their huge jumps.

He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy thats going to put money above fit for his family. Maybe somehow he is trying to get both I guess.

Big risk to take not locking in a future now thought. Going to a new team that isn't known to be goalie friendly could really hurt his value. One bad injury and that drastically changes what his next contract looks like.

Too much risk if it were me.

 

[BruinDust]

But if Boston wanted to hold onto him (which he has said he wanted to stay), what would his option have been next year in FA? He can't do a trial run with any team at that point, he would have had to commit.

I am just very confused by his thought process as it doesn't seem very logical.

Only thing i can think of is he has absolutely zero clue where he wants to finish his career but Ottawa was maybe on the short list. This trade while he still has a year on his deal gives him the chance to test it out and possibly scratch one team off his list if he doesn't like the city/team.

I would say there are franchises out there that he would be more than happy to commit to without needing to play there first. And it's possible that none of those teams were interested trading for him.

I think the one thing he can bank on, is the teams chasing goalies today, there will be different teams in the goalie market next summer with the goalie situations league-wide very fluid now it seems. Most goalies are getting hard to predict year to year how they will perform outside of a handful of guys.

 

[TCB]

In all fairness that might be the only time in the salary cap era where a team took on a bad contract for a high pick, and the player turned his career around so drastically that they were able to flip him for another high pick a couple years later. Pretty rare stuff and not something that should be expected to happen often if at all.

True, but it still doesn't justify taking on a bad contract, for free and if you aren't compensated with a pick for doing so, Your sure in hell aren't going to acquire yet another pick if he turns his career around.

Even if he thinks Korpi is going to turn it around, his value was at an all-time low. My point being a pick should of been attached and if he's right about Korpi and he turns it around, maybe, just maybe, he could of re-couped another pick. Bottom-line imo no-matter how it turns out, Sweeney should of received more compensation from the Sens for taking on Korpi and his contract.

 

[Gonzothe7thDman]

I would say there are franchises out there that he would be more than happy to commit to without needing to play there first. And it's possible that none of those teams were interested trading for him.

I think the one thing he can bank on, is the teams chasing goalies today, there will be different teams in the goalie market next summer with the goalie situations league-wide very fluid now it seems. Most goalies are getting hard to predict year to year how they will perform outside of a handful of guys.

If this is the case, and literally every team that called about him was on his NTC. And every team he wanted wasn't interested, I would have rather held onto him until the deadline. Try again then, maybe with a 50% retainment if it makes sense to try and get something good. Worst case he walks.

But in that scenario you didn't make the Sens better for at minimum this season, and you didn't take on a backup goalie with a 4 year contract that you have to hope gets better so you don't have to pay to flip him.

I just don't value the late first as much as I do flexibility or doing rival teams favors.

 

[UncleRico]

If this is the case, and literally every team that called about him was on his NTC. And every team he wanted wasn't interested, I would have rather held onto him until the deadline. Try again then, maybe with a 50% retainment if it makes sense to try and get something good. Worst case he walks.

But in that scenario you didn't make the Sens better for at minimum this season, and you didn't take on a backup goalie with a 4 year contract that you have to hope gets better so you don't have to pay to flip him.

I just don't value the late first as much as I do flexibility or doing rival teams favors.

Exactly. Saying no and keeping Ullmark was an option and a far better option than taking on 4 years of korpisalo.

 

[BruinDust]

If this is the case, and literally every team that called about him was on his NTC. And every team he wanted wasn't interested, I would have rather held onto him until the deadline. Try again then, maybe with a 50% retainment if it makes sense to try and get something good. Worst case he walks.

But in that scenario you didn't make the Sens better for at minimum this season, and you didn't take on a backup goalie with a 4 year contract that you have to hope gets better so you don't have to pay to flip him.

I just don't value the late first as much as I do flexibility or doing rival teams favors.

Me personally I don't like the fact they traded him within the division. You have 8 teams competing for max 5 playoff spots and they just fixed one opposing teams biggest weakness.

I'd would of waited instead of making this move right now. I'm with you I don't put a whole lot of value on that 25th overall pick.

 

[LouJersey]

Just a season ago he was at .915 across CLB and LA. If they can turn the clock back 12 months they'd have a pretty decent backup. Come to think of it .915 is what Ullmark did this year...

Are we at the point of defending this trade to where we compare stats of a goalie who nobody wanted to last seasons Vezina winner?

 

[SPLBRUIN]

I'm too lazy to go back and look but was there all this vitriol over having a 3 million dollar back-up when they signed Halak for 2.75 to pair up with 7 million dollar man Tuukka Rask for two years. Then extended him for a 3rd year for 2.25 million + 1.25 in performance bonuses.

% of cap towards goaltending 2018-19 = 12.26

2019-20 = 11.96

2020-21 = 11.35 without performance bonus, 12.88 with bonus included

2024-25 with Swayman at 8.0 million AAV = 12.5

There was no outcry at all, Halak was a proven commodity who had an incredible playoff run with the Habs, keeping future HOF Carey Price stapled to the bench. Contrast that with Korpisalo coming over a terrible year in Ottawa andy Swee having " to be fixed " by the Bruins for another 4 years at 3 mil/year. Throw in the fact that the Sens couldn't give him away and were likely to be buying him out and this was horrific management by Sweeney.