When the Ottawa Senators acquired Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins in the summer of 2024, the move was hailed in Ottawa as a stroke of genius. Ullmark had won the 2023 Vezina Trophy, so he was seen at the time as a sure thing for the Sens. In return for the Swedish veteran, Ottawa gave up a first-round pick, along with centre Mark Kastelic, and also unloaded the four years left on the contract of goalie Joonas Korpisalo, worth $4 million per season.
While Ullmark was winning the '23 Vezina in Boston, Korpisalo was signing as a free agent in Ottawa, securing a five-year contract to be the Senators' starting goalie. But one year into Korpisalo's agreement, the Senators soured on him. They were already so ready to move on from him, and get their hands on Ullmark, they told the Bruins they would keep on paying a quarter of Korpisalo's salary over the final three seasons of his contract.
So on Thursday night in Boston, as Korpisalo and Ullmark started against each other for the first time since the trade, the Senators were bankrolling both of them.
Not only did Korpisalo beat the guy who replaced him, the guy he was traded for, but the team that gave up on him literally paid him to beat them. Yes, the Senators are paying Korpisalo a million dollars a year to play against them.
So, as Ullmark continues to scuffle, making over $8 million, and allowing a soft goal in overtime in a 3-2 loss to the Bruins, Korpisalo left the building with a win, some ice-cold revenge, and a wallet filled with Ottawa's money.
None of this is to say that, had Korpisalo stayed, he would have been Ottawa's answer in goal. Far from it. Even now, Korpisalo has a save percentage of .885 and a goals against of 3.24. But what is noteworthy is that his below-average numbers are still better than what Ullmark is giving the Senators (.863, 3.36) so far this season.
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Despite that, and the absence of Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa has managed to hang around in a ridiculously tight Eastern Conference. But that won't be the case for much longer if Ullmark hasn't righted his ship by American Thanksgiving.
In fact, if the trend continues, the net may belong to Leevi Merilainen by then, a backup goalie the Sens are paying almost exactly what they're paying Boston's backup.
Steve Warne
This article was originally published atThe Hockey News/Ottawa
Related: Analytics: Can Linus Ullmark Replace Another Slow Start With Another November Heater?
Analytics: Can Senators Goalie Linus Ullmark Replace Another Slow Start With Another November Heater?An analyst recently questioned Ullmark's intensity, and Ullmark questioned some aspects of his own offseason prep. Between that and his current numbers, there are goaltending concerns again in Ottawa.