Bruins’ Linus Ullmark Speaks On Mid-Season Trade Rumors
Linus Ullmark had not experienced being the subject of trade talks prior to the 2023-24 campaign, and the Boston Bruins goaltender admitted it was difficult to avoid those rumors.
“Was it hard? Yeah, it was hard,” Ullmark told reporters at Warrior Ice Arena on Sunday, per a team-provided transcript. “Because you’re very comfortable where you are. You don’t want to move when you feel like you’re playing well, and you have the team, you have the bonds that you’ve made with your teammates.”
Ullmark’s made those comments when the Bruins held their end-of-season media availability. Boston suffered a season-ending defeat against the Panthers at TD Garden on Friday night when Florida claimed the best-of-seven series 4-2.
Ullmark did not start a game in the series as Jeremy Swayman started 12 of 13 playoff games. The tandem of Swayman and Ullmark played a key role in the latter being included in pre-trade deadline speculation.
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Ullmark has one season remaining on his current contract. The 2022-23 Vezina Trophy winner hopes he will finish out his pact in Boston, and has continued to express content playing with Swayman, who will be a restricted free agent this offseason.
“For me, it’s above my pay grade as well, really,” Ullmark said. “I don’t have the luxury to choose that. If I could, I’m probably going to say the same thing as everybody else, but I want to stay, and I’m going to stay. But we live in a world where professional sports is, you’ve got to deal with the hand you’ve been dealt with.
Ullmark added: “I wouldn’t want anything else than to come back here, get a bit of a revenge tour.”
Those sentiments were echoed by other players inside the locker room, as well. Jake DeBrusk, Pat Maroon and others all said they would like to return to Boston for another run.