Ullmark, Swayman Win Jennings Trophy

Boston Bruins goalies Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman are the 2022-23 William M. Jennings Trophy winners.

The Jennings Trophy is presented annually to the goaltenders who play at least 25 games for their team, allowing the fewest goals during the regular season.

Linus Ullmark and Swayman are the fourth Boston Bruins goalie tandem to win the Jennings Trophy. Tuukka Rask and Jaro Halak accomplished the feat in the 2019-20 regular season; Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez won the Jennings Trophy in 2008-09, and Andy Moog and Reggie Lemelin did it in the 1989-90 season.

The Boston Bruins allowed a league-low 177 goals (including shootout-deciding goals). They finished ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes (213) by an astonishing 36 goals. That’s the largest gap between the top two teams since the 190-91 Chicago Blackhawks (211) allowed 38 fewer goals than the Montreal Canadiens (249).

The dynamic and hugging duo of Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman also became the first goalie tandem to have one goalie win 40 games and the other 20 or more. Ullmark was 40-6-1 with a 1.89 GAA and a .938 save percentage, and Swayman was 24-6-4 with a 2.27 GAA and a .920 save percentage.

“What more can we say about them,” Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery said recently. “When teams get breakaways or odd-man rushes, we’re literally shocked if they don’t make a save. That’s how good they’ve been, and that’s a huge confidence boost for our players.”

Ullmark became the sixth different goaltender in League history to lead the NHL in wins, GAA, and save percentage, and the fifth in the expansion era (since 1967-68). Carey Price(2014-15 w/ MTL), Ed Belfour(1990-91 w/ CHI), Bernie Parent(1973-74 w/ PHI), and Ken Dryden(1972-73 w/ MTL). Jacques Plante also achieved the feat three times in the pre-expansion era (1961-62, 1958-59, and 1955-56, all w/ MTL).

Swayman allowed two or fewer goals 23 times (62.2%). He also was fourth in the NHL in GAA (2.21), fourth in save percentage (.922), and tied for fourth in shutouts (4).