On the eve of their first game of the 2024-25 regular season, the Ottawa Senators announced they had signed goaltender Linus Ullmark to a four-year contract extension worth $33 million.
NEWS RELEASE: The #Sens sign Linus Ullmark to four-year contract extension: https://t.co/gUjEvvnMGF
COMMUNIQUÉ: Les #Sens accordent un nouveau contrat de quatre ans à Linus Ullmark: https://t.co/TRo1OMjhG7
— Sens Communications (@Media_Sens) October 9, 2024
Ullmark’s new four-year extension comes with a salary cap hit of $8.25 million.
Same AAV as his old pal in Boston. Senators extend pending UFA goaile Linus Ullmark. Was a prioirty item for them. https://t.co/zEoJeuJ83L
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) October 9, 2024
Even though the Senators wanted to wait and see with Ullmark, they prioritized getting him signed after acquiring him from the Boston Bruins in the summer.
NHL Rumors: The Ottawa Senators Aren’t Rushing A Linus Ullmark Extension
Ottawa acquired Ullmark from Boston for goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, forward Mark Kastelic, and a 2024 first-round pick (Dean Letourneau).
Ullmark appeared in 40 games with the Bruins last season before he surrendered his starting job to Jeremy Swayman. In those games, he was 22-10-8 with a 2.55 GAA and a .915 save percentage.
During his time with the Bruins, he won the Vezina Trophy and William M. Jennings Trophy during the 2022-23 season. His record was 40-6-1, with a 1.89 GAA and a .938 save percentage.
NHL Rumors: Linus Ullmark and the Ottawa Senators Could Wait on a New Contract
When the Senators acquired Ullmark, they believed he could resolve their goalie problems.
Linus Ullmark, extended 4x$8.25M by OTT, is a goalie. pic.twitter.com/vRYUyYSgCI
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) October 9, 2024
Thanks to Jeremy Swayman, the goalie market is changing. Goalies are now being paid based on potential and their career achievements.
The goalie market is finally seeing some upward gains in signings after several years of pushback from NHL front offices. Swayman, now Ullmark. And we know Shesterkin will end up being highest-paid goalie ever.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) October 9, 2024
Linus Ullmark and the Ottawa Senators new contract extension. Four years $8.25 million. Goalie market on the up swing. Swayman said he was gonna change how goalies were viewed. Same for Shesterkin. #gosensgo #nhlbruins #nyr @FullPressNHL @myNHLTradeRumor
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) October 9, 2024
With Ullmark signing his new extension, he is tied for the fourth-highest-paid goalie heading into next season. Sergei Bobrovsky is the highest paid, at $10 million, and Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers will soon pass that.
NHL Rumors: Linus Ullmark and the Ottawa Senators Not Rushing to Make an Extension Happen
Ullmark, Swayman, and Sorokin all trail Bobrovsky, Andrei Vasilevskiy ($9.5 million), and Connor Hellebuyck ($8.5 million) in terms of cap hits.
After getting $8.25M on his #sens extension, Linus Ullmark is due to be the NHL’s fourth-highest paid goalie next season alongside Jeremy Swayman and trailing Bobrovsky ($10M), Vasilevskiy ($9M) and Hellebuyck ($8.5M).
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) October 9, 2024
Earlier in the summer, Marc Methot was on TSN Radio in Ottawa and indicated that Linus Ullmark had bought a house and did not have an extension yet. But usually, that is a good sign that a player stays with the team.
Is there a new deal coming for Linus Ullmark in Ottawa?
Former Sens defenseman @MarcMethot3 mentions on TSN Ottawa Radio Ullmark bought a house in Ottawa
Read into that what you will. Is this be a good sign he might be longer than 1yr. #gosensgo @FullPressNHL @myNHLTradeRumor
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) August 23, 2024
With Ullmark in place, the Senators hope he can lead them back to the playoffs.