NHL Trade Deadline: Ullmark Could Be Moving But Not To Jersey

After another blockbuster trade dominated the NHL trade chatter on Thursday night, the chatter heading into today’s 3 p.m. NHL Trade Deadline surrounds Boston Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark.

Just after 1 a.m. ET, ESPN, and NHL Network Insider Kevin Weekes tweeted this:

As I’m working the phones, I’m told ; @NHLBruins , @NHLFlames , @LAKings , @NJDevils are all in Goalie discussions, including some potential 3 way trade scenarios, it’ll be intriguing to see where this lands by deadline time. #HockeyX pic.twitter.com/dhNh0Bkvoc

— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) March 8, 2024

Upon seeing this at 7:30 a.m., this puck scribe  immediately worked the phones, and this is what we dug up via NHL sources (one team executive, one high-up hockey ops source, and a well-connected pro scut) when it comes to the Boston Bruins potentially trading the 2023 Vezina Trophy winner:

-As of 10 a.m. ET, the Bruins were engaged in NHL trade talks regarding Linus Ullmark with the Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, and the Detroit Red Wings, who recently entered the NHL trade market for goalies. The New Jersey Devils had been keeping tabs on the Bruins goalie but backed out and switched their focus elsewhere and likely back to Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom.

– Most of the 16 teams on Ullmark’s 16-team no-trade clause that he won’t go to are out west.

That last tidbit is interesting because, based on what the aforementioned sources told Boston Hockey Now on Thursday morning, the Kings have made the best offer for Ullmark with a combination of a roster player and a draft pick. The player that keeps coming up in these conversations is 29-year-old right-shot defenseman Matt Roy, who is in the final season of a three-year contract with a $3.15 million salary cap hit.

The Kings have been scouting the Boston Bruins more often than not over the last three weeks. Last Saturday night, an NHL Executive source said this about the Kings potentially being an NHL trade suitor for Linus Ullmark.

“The Kings believe they’re still a contender, and they need a goalie,” the source opined to Boston Hockey Now.  “There’s a market for him. If I look at the teams out west – the Oilers, the Avalanche, and the Kings – I think the Kings want one the most. I think they like Ullmark.”

As for other potential Bruins to move before the NHL trade deadline, winger Jake DeBrusk is still very much out there, and defenseman Derek Forbort could be on the outs as well. That would make sense since the Bruins extended defenseman Parker Wotherspoon with a one-year, $800,000 contract on Friday morning.

Parker Wotherspoon extends in Boston, 1 year $800K

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 8, 2024