Ullmark eager for chance to be Sweden starting goalie at 4 Nations Face-Off

BROSSARD, Quebec -- Linus Ullmark settled into his seat following Sweden’s practice at CN Sports Complex on Monday, the Ottawa Senators goaltender happy to be back in ample time to represent his country at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

“It’s been a long road,” said Ullmark, who missed 18 games with a back injury before returning and making 34 saves in a 4-3 loss at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 4.

“It’s been different, but it’s been very productive. I learned a lot of things along the way and had good communication throughout the whole process that enabled me to be here today in front of you guys.”

The best-on-best tournament, which features Canada, the United States, Sweden and Finland, will be played in Montreal and Boston and runs through Feb. 20.

As happy as Ullmark is to be playing again, so is Sweden, which will have either him, Filip Gustavsson or Samuel Ersson starting when it plays Canada to open the 4 Nations Face-Off at Bell Centre in Montreal on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS).

“Yeah, every single one, obviously, is really good goalie. Anyone can be on the ice, and it’ll be really good,” defenseman Rasmus Dahlin said. “It’s tough in practice (against them), that’s for sure.”

Ullmark is 12-9-2 with a 2.49 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and three shutouts in 25 games (24 starts) this season with Ottawa. Gustavsson is 22-11-3 with a 2.63 GAA, .915 save percentage and three shutouts in 37 starts for the Minnesota Wild.

Ersson, an injury replacement for Jacob Markstrom, who is out with an MCL sprain he sustained against the Boston Bruins on Jan. 22, is 16-10-3 with a 2.81 GAA, .896 save percentage and two shutouts in 31 games (30 starts) for the Philadelphia Flyers this season.

“We’re pretty fortunate with a bunch of guys playing regular in the NHL. Of course, with Markstrom out, it’s great to have Linus here,” Sweden coach Sam Hallam said. “I think we’re confident that any one of the three can start Wednesday night but good to have a Vezina Trophy winner in the room.”

© Getty Images

Ullmark won the Vezina, which is awarded to the League’s best goaltender, in 2022-23, when he was 40-6-1 with a 1.89 goals-against average, .938 save percentage and two shutouts in 49 games (48 starts) with the Bruins.

A sixth-round pick (No. 163) by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2012 NHL Draft, Ullmark is 150-82-25 with a 2.51 GAA, .918 save percentage and 11 shutouts in 272 games (262 starts) for the Sabres, Bruins and Senators.

“I’m so happy he was able to come back in time,” defenseman Victor Hedman said. “We played him his first game back and he looked phenomenal. Then I know he played in Florida and faced 47 shots. So, he’s had his workload, that’s for sure.”

“Obviously, feel bad for Jacob not being here, but to have (him and) Sammi, who’s been phenomenal for (Philadelphia) the whole season, yeah, you look at our roster from goalies to forwards, it’s just tremendous to see how much talent we have.”

Ullmark was injured in the first period of a 3-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 22. Despite the recovery process, Ullmark said he always expected to be ready for 4 Nations.

“It was a long time until we came here today so we worked. We didn’t stress, we didn’t feel like we had to rush through the process to get me to be a part of this team,” he said. “Once we kind of settled in and talked it over and had communication throughout this whole process, I never felt I was stressed about it or concerned that I wasn’t going to be a part of it. So, I was pretty cool, calm and collected throughout the process.”

That cool, calm and collected demeanor of Ullmark’s will come in handy during the tournament. Ullmark doesn’t know if he’s starting on Wednesday against Canada, but if he is, “it would be a huge honor.”

“I know a couple of guys on the other teams and playing best-on-best hockey isn’t something you get to do every single day or even every single year,” he said. “For me, it’s going to be a lot of fun, but for me also, I try to keep myself here and now and don’t think too far ahead.”