The Senators signed goalie Linus Ullmark to a four-year, $33 million U.S. deal on the eve of the season
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The Ottawa Senators’ final line of defence has signed on the dotted line.
The Senators took one other step in the precise route by signing goaltender Linus Ullmark to a four-year, $33-million U.S. contract extension Wednesday that may pay him $8.25 million per season, with the 2024-25 marketing campaign set to open Thursday night time towards the Florida Panthers on the Canadian Tire Centre.
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The deal comes simply days after Ullmark’s former goalie associate, Jeremy Swayman, settled his contract dispute with the Boston Bruins and signed an eight-year deal Sunday on the identical common annual worth.
Ullmark, 31, who’s making $5 million within the closing yr of his deal, would be the NHL’s fourth-highest-paid goalie subsequent season, Nevertheless, Steve Staios, the membership’s president of hockey operations and basic supervisor, needed to make the deal to solidify the membership’s web.
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Staios famous the discussions heated up within the final week with Ullmark’s agent, Joakim Persson. The signing of Swayman helped the 2 sides arrive at a quantity they felt was a “win-win” for each, however they had been already near an settlement when that deal was signed.
“We stayed true to our strategy. We needed to make Linus and his household snug locally and with our imaginative and prescient for the group,” Staios stated. “We felt that wasn’t solely the precise strategy for us, but additionally for the household as nicely.
“Simply seeing Linus round our staff, with the character and management as nicely, this simply grew to become clear this was one thing we needed to do for the long-term. To do it earlier than the beginning of the season provides us peace of thoughts.”
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Traded to the Senators solely half-hour earlier than Sport 7 of the Stanley Cup closing in June, Ullmark has made himself snug in Ottawa. He acquired to know town when he visited in July and has settled into the house he bought for his household.
After spending three years with the Bruins, Ullmark, who gained the Vezina Trophy because the NHL’s prime goalie two years in the past, has gone from a staff that contends for the Stanley Cup each spring to 1 that simply desires to make the following step in its maturity by getting again to the postseason.
It was an enormous day for Ullmark. His spouse, Moa, and the couple’s two kids sat within the entrance row and the toddlers instructed their dad after the information convention that they needed to go for ice cream.
“It’s a surreal feeling as a result of I’m nonetheless processing the entire thing,” Ullmark stated. “I noticed household after they got here in and I nearly had tears in my eyes as a result of it’s such a monumental factor.
“Trying again by means of my profession, there’s been a whole lot of hardships and issues I wish to relive, however I did it. I’m standing right here as the person, the husband and the hockey participant due to it. I’m attempting to carry all these experiences from the hardships and the great occasions with this group.”
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This resolution simply felt proper for Ullmark. He addressed his teammates earlier than the skate and can take them for dinner on the street. He joked “there gained’t be an open bar” however he desires to settle in with these guys.
It simply looks like Ullmark and the Senators are a very good match for one another at a pivotal time for each events.
“There’s a change within the air, you possibly can really feel it on the skin, but additionally from somebody coming in and speaking to the gamers,” stated Ullmark. “Speaking to everyone that works round this group, there’s this upbeat and optimistic considering.
“You possibly can sense that we’re not proud of the place we’re at and we wish to be a playoff staff. We wish to have success once more and we’re not happy. That’s what I like about it. I had a dialog with a teammate and I began saying that once I got here from Buffalo I’ve seen these issues and also you begin drawing comparisons. Properly, I haven’t seen these comparisons.
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“It’s a very long time since I used to be in Buffalo, however for me to not really feel the identical was an enormous step that there’s one thing cooking right here. If we’re simply allowed to have somewhat bit extra time right here collectively and are available collectively, one thing good goes to return out of this.”
Coach Travis Inexperienced known as it an necessary day for the group as a result of the membership desires Ottawa “to be a vacation spot” the place gamers wish to be.
“It’s nice information to get the goalie locked in for 4 years and he’s an elite goalie,” Inexperienced stated. “All the things we’ve seen from him, so far as his play on the ice and his character off the ice, it’s an excellent deal for Linus and an excellent deal for the group.
“As a coach, I’m comfortable it’s completed now. You get a tangible feeling of confidence and there was a lift within the locker room. He needed to play the place he loved dwelling, and it says loads about Ottawa. I’ve loved dwelling right here and the actual fact he’s dedicated to staying is a credit score to town.”
Ullmark’s teammates had no concept a deal was even pending.
“I used to be sitting beside him at breakfast this morning and I noticed on (X) that it was completed,” stated winger Drake Batherson. “I’m like, ‘Did you simply signal? Had been you retaining it a secret?’ ”
BGarrioch@postmedia.com
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