NHL Trade: Boston Boston Trade Linus Ullmark to Ottawa Senators
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Before the puck drop of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Boston Bruins traded goaltender Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators for Mark Kastelic, Joonas Korpisalo, and a 2024 first-round draft pick (25th overall).

The Senators will retain 25 percent of Korpisalo’s remaining salary as part of the deal.

NHL Rumors: The Ottawa Senators are Looking at all Goaltending, Including Linus Ullmark

Korpisalo has four years left at $4 million AAV. With Ottawa retaining the cap, it drops to $3 million. At the same time, Ullmark is entering the final year of his deal at $5 million AAV.

Korpisalo has a modified 10-team no-trade clause.

The Bruins had been looking to move Ullmark’s salary since the trade deadline. They could not do it because of his modified 10-team no-trade clause. He needed to agree to any trade.

We know Ullmark blocked a trade to Los Angeles back in March. With Jacob Markstrom and Darcy Kuemper getting traded, Ullmark was the next domino to fall. The Bruins needed to open up cap space to sign goaltender Jeremy Swayman.

NHL Rumors: Has Linus Ullmark Played His Last Game in Boston?

Swayman could get around an eight-year extension worth $8-$8.5 million on AAV. So, the Bruins could not carry $13 million in salaries for goalies. Unless they move out of Korpisalo, they will have around $11 million in goalie salaries if Swayman gets close to this number.

There is no extension as part of this deal for Ullmark and the Senators, but he is not eligible to sign one until July 1.

The Senators were looking to upgrade their goaltending after Korpisalo posted one of the worst save percentages of the season. Senators GM Steve Staios hopes this will solve the Senators goaltending problems and get them back into contention.

Boston also adds depth with Kastelic at the center. He is still not the number one center they need; he is fast, plays with a physical edge and can occasionally put the puck into the net. In other words, an ideal Boston Bruin is similar to Morgan Geekie.

Thoughts from the media

Cap Friendly: “Cap Hit: $66.4M Cap Space: $21.6M
Roster: 19 (11F – 6D – 2G – 1IR)
RFAs include: Boqvist, Swayman”

Matt Porter: “Without an extension in place and a lack of trade partners, suppose this is as good as we could expect.”

John Buccigross: (on Korpisalo) “Goalies numbers improve on Bruins. They have good players and good coaching. Then they could flip him or use his services.”

Dave Johnson: “The return doesn’t look great for Boston considering they had to take Korpisalo back, but I bet Korpisalo will play much better behind Boston’s defense, and he’ll regain some value.”

Jeff Svoboda: “I actually have a suspicion Korpi will be really good there.”

Amalie Benjamin: “Before the trade, Bruins did not have a pick in the first three rounds of the 2024 Draft. They now have a 1st-round pick for the first time since taking Fabian Lysell in 2021. Also, last time the Bruins held the No. 25 pick in the NHL Draft was 2014. They took David Pastrnak.”