Former Boston Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark was one of the NHL's top trade candidates since last season. After months of rumors, the Bruins finally dealt the 2023 Vezina Trophy Winner to the Ottawa Senators earlier this offseason. Now, the 31-year-old will look to help the Senators take that next step forward and get back into the playoff hunt.
Following the trade, Ullmark and Senators GM Steve Staios said they would not immediately begin contract extension talks. However, a recent life decision by Ullmark could indicate that he sees the potential for a long-term future in Ottawa.
On Friday, Shawn Simpson reported that Ullmark has purchased a house in Ottawa.
This has the potential to be a good sign for the Senators' chances of keeping Ullmark around Ottawa longer than just this upcoming season. Ullmark could have simply rented while being in the final year of his deal but instead went all in and bought a house. As Simpson speculates, it will be interesting to see if this leads to Ullmark and the Senators beginning extension talks sooner than expected.
Given the Senators' goaltending issues over the last handful of years, it would make sense for them to make an Ullmark extension a main priority for this upcoming season. We will need to wait and see what happens with the former Bruin from here, but this latest development is certainly intriguing.