While a Linus Ullmark trade is the expected outcome when it comes to what happens with Boston’s goaltending situation, Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe discusses the other possibility on the trade front. Instead of moving Ullmark and signing Jeremy Swayman to a long-term deal, perhaps extending Ullmark and moving Swayman could be the better way to go for the Bruins.
Swayman has two years of club control remaining (with arbitration eligibility) and is coming off the better year between the two plus a strong playoff showing that saw him post a 2.15 GAA and a .933 SV% in a dozen starts. His trade value would be considerably higher as a result, giving the Bruins a chance to potentially fill multiple needs, including an impact center and a defensive upgrade. At this point, it doesn’t seem likely to happen but if trade talks surrounding Ullmark stall out over extension discussions, the Bruins could certainly consider flipping the script. Considering how quickly the goalie market moves in the summer, however, it’s a decision they’d have to make rather quickly.
More from the Atlantic:
- Speaking of Bruins netminders, Mark Divver of the New England Hockey Journal reports (Twitter link) that the team has made progress on a new deal for pending RFA goaltender Brandon Bussi. The 25-year-old is coming off a strong year with AHL Providence where he had a 2.67 GAA with a .913 SV% in 41 games. Depending on if Boston has to take a goalie back in the eventual trade and how they plan to use their cap space, it’s possible that he could be in line to take over the second-string duties next season despite not having yet made an appearance at the NHL level.
- Just weeks after signing him to a three-year contract, Jean-Francois Houle is no longer the head coach with Montreal’s AHL affiliate in Laval. The Canadiens announced on Friday that they’ve agreed to mutually part ways with Houle, allowing him to be hired by Clarkson University for their head coaching position. It’s a return home of sorts for Houle as he played there and also began his coaching career with them as an assistant before moving on to the QMJHL and then the professional ranks. With free agency on the horizon, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Montreal try to fill this vacancy before the end of the month.