Jeremy Swayman Gets Emotional About Facing off Against Linus Ullmark

The month of November is one where Boston Bruins fans have a lot of home games circled on the calendar. It’s a month when some former teammates who will come to the TD Garden to play their first game since leaving either through a trade or free agency. The first game is Saturday night when a former netminder returns to a place he called home for three years.

In June, Boston GM Don Sweeney traded goalie Linus Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators for a package that included a 2024 first-round draft pick, forward Mark Kastelic, and goalie Joonas Korpisalo. Ullmark will make his return with his new teammates for the first time in 2024-25.

Linus Ullmark makes Boston return

Ottawa will come to the TD Garden for a 7 p.m. puck drop and off a 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders Thursday night at home. Ullmark did not play in that game and Korpisalo played in the Black and Gold’s 4-3 overtime win over the Calgary Flames that same night. That means one thing, it looks like a Jeremy Swayman vs. Linus Ullmark battle between the pipes. Oh, the drama.

This season for the Senators, Ullmark is 2-4-0 in seven games with a 3.02 GAA and an .892 SV%. After not being traded with a contract extension as he was scheduled to become a free agent next summer, he inked a deal to remain with Ottawa in October. Now, for the first time, he’ll face his former team and best friend at the other end. After practice on Friday, Swayman spoke about Ullmark's return.

"It still hasn't hit,'' said Swayman. "It still feels like I have his presence around here and the traditions that we had still live on, We're brothers for life"

As far as the Bruins are concerned, they have made well in the deal, drafting Dean Letourn eauin the first round of the draft over the summer and Kastelic has three goals and seven points in 15 games for Boston with a plus/minus on plus-8. He has been a vital part of the bottom of their lineup. In six games this season, Korpisalo is 3-2-0 with a 2.72 GAA and a .900 SV%.

One thing we know for sure, there will be no goalie hugs following the game, no matter who wins. It will be odd seeing Swayman and Ullmark going head-to-head against each other, but the trade was made, both have new contracts and an Atlantic Division rivalry is about to be born.