Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast – They Really Did It … episode on if Linus Ullmark will end up in Ottawa with an extension. The Toronto Maple Leafs may be looking at free agency and not so much at the trade market. Will the Detroit Red Wings be looking for a goaltender?
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Marek: “For now, Eliotte, before we get to some of the news from earlier this week, on Thursday, we had a radio interview about the future of Linus Ullmark and the Boston Bruins.
I think there are a few points here that we should probably sharpen the pencil on. The nature of the non-trade, the nature of perhaps the expansion associated with the withdrawal of the non-trade to certain markets. How do you view Linus Ullmark's situation in Boston?
Friedman: “I think the extension you mentioned is a very big part of this. As I think the reports of Ottawa and Boston discussing and trading Ullmark are very true. You know, I think it was considered more urgent because Markstrom is now off the board. Darcy Kuemper is now off the board. And the team that was looking for a goalkeeper, Amakhosi is no longer in the picture.
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So more than you know, the fact that Ottawa wanted a goaltender and I think Boston would like to move Ullmark. The number of dance partners, it's like the last dance at prom, if you haven't come with a date, you want to make sure you find someone to dance with, right? And so we're kind of getting to that stage now.
I thought Steve Yzerman in his pre-draft availability, he had it on Friday and he said something very interesting about it, like we heard that Detroit is in the market for a goaltender, and he confirmed that, but he made a point of saying, 'I don't want someone to stay here for two or three years, and then leave.' I thought that was a very interesting quote.
We know Toronto is in the middle of the goaltending market. But I think that's more of an episode of (Laurent) Brossoit, Anthony Stolarz now that they, I think, I heard they were given in Calgary compared to New Jersey but I think because of all the politics there, I think it's Toronto. he would have to blow anyone out of the water to get that player out.
I also think that Markstrom at the end of the day preferred New Jersey a lot but you know, he opened it up to teams like Toronto and Ottawa in the Eastern Conference. But I think the Maple Leafs should have won that deal.
But look, now you have a situation where Boston is looking and saying oh boy, like how many other goaltending places can we send Ullmark to? And Ottawa will be looking around saying okay, what else is available? There is Ullmark. There is John Gibson. I don't know if that could work or how Ottawa feels about that.
Ullmark's no-trade list dropped from 16 last year to 14 this year. And the thing you have to talk about with Jeff, is how agents and players shape this. It's not as simple as, take the 14 places I hate the most and list them. There are also strategies in the sense that they will go and look for it and say, 'Well, this team doesn't need an agent. We may be sold to this team that needs a goalkeeper. So how do we feel about it? And if we don't like it, we better make sure the teams are on the list.' Like most of these lists there is a lot of strategy in terms of who will be looking for you that you may not want to go to.
So you know, Ottawa I believe is on the list. But one of the things I really heard here, Jeff, is if you're going to pay Boston's asking price, which is a lot, are you going to be comfortable with Ullmark as a tenant, or are you going to want to have an extension in the area?
And that leads to two problems. Number one, would UIllmark like to extend there and number two, would Ullmark, can you find, the two sides could make a deal that both Ottawa and Ullmark would be happy with? And from what I've heard, that's going to be a challenge.
Like I think New Jersey looked at all two marks more than Markstrom and I think it was a challenge there as well. Markstrom still has two years left so it's less of a concern but I think that was the problem.
And you know, one of the things about the last year with LA and whatever happened there. You know, I don't think Ullmark was crazy about moving his family in the middle of the season. I think he was more open to the new situation now, than during the year when his family was not affected. However, I think now expansion becomes a big problem for everyone involved if the price is high.
Now the other thing that could happen to Jeff because there seems to be less dance partners, I wonder if Boston will feel the pressure to come down on his price. As someone knows, like, this Yzerman quote, like if he's interested in Ullmark he says to me, he wants all the marks with an extension. “
Marek: “I wouldn't be surprised by that, anything from Steve Yzerman. Maybe I'd be a little surprised about intra-class trading. Maybe I put more into that than other people but does it matter when you're Don Sweeney?”
Friedman: “Ottawa is the same category.”
Marek: “Ottawa is the same.”
Friedman: “You get, as long as you get your price you make a deal. As Burky was such a big man. He didn't like the idea of trading goalkeepers mid-section. Brian Murray did it with Ben Bishop. But if you get the price you want, you make a deal.”
Marek: “Only one thing, that is the position I am always sure of. In general, within the division I am not a big deal, except for the goal scorers. The only possibility is that it's like old school thinking that I need to get out of my mind but I still have it made for scorers.
I'm talking about strikers.”
Friedman: “But like if you look, if you look over there now, beside Ullmark, who, who, who is there? There's Gibson, you know, Anaheim is going to move him but they really don't want to eat the money. “
Marek: “I know Don Waddell, that contract, Don Waddell talked about it, you know, nobody takes the contract except Elvis Merzlikins.”
Friedman: “Can I talk about that for a moment? You know, I think that's a picture from Don Waddell across from Elvis Merzlikins. “
Marek: “Yes, of course.” Absolutely. And…”
Friedman: “That was the challenge now and Don Waddell came in wearing cowboy boots up to his neck. He looks like Elvis. I'm coming to you.”
Marek: “It's going to be an exciting time for the Columbus Blue Jackets. There is that. There is also the Patrick Laine situation. Someone is there, someone will be a coach if you have a thought about that. Elliott?”
Friedman: “Someone told me to pump the brakes with Patrick Laine. As they say, there are many discussions that need to happen here first. Little by little, it slows down what I've been told and obviously I think we're all very sensitive to that, what you're going through.
But it seems that aside from that, like, there are really good, options available like Brossoit's and Stlarz in the world. But I think everybody's wondering, like, like, if you're looking for a starting goalkeeper, we've got Ullmark, you've got Gibson, who else is available now?
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So you know, the challenge becomes a lot bigger, especially with Ullmark not being traded and the potential extension or non-extension playing a role in all of this. “
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