NHL trade rumors: Elliotte Friedman claims Detroit Red Wings' interest in $20,000,000 top UFA goalie

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Jun 24, 2024 07:37 GMT

As the Detroit Red Wings enhance their goalie depth with Alex Lyon, they are reportedly seeking to part ways with backup netminder Ville Husson, who is in the final year of his contract.

According to top hockey insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, there's talk of interest in a potential trade between the Red Wings and the Boston Bruins involving goaltender Linus Ullmark heading to Detroit.

"This Yzerman quote, if he's interested in Ullmark, that says to me he wants Ullmark with an extension"

The Bruins are aiming to hand over the starting goalie role to Jeremy Swayman by offloading veteran goaltender Ullmark this summer. By moving Ullmark, the Bruins could facilitate Swayman getting more starts between the sticks.

This trade would not only create some space for the 25-year-old Swayman but also allow the Bruins to offer him a contract extension for the long term. Moreover, the move would also strengthen their forward lines.

Ullmark has one year left on his four-year, $20 million contract and has $5 million against the salary cap. The Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman may not meet the Bruins' demands unless there's a plan in place to extend Ullmark's contract.

As Friedman suggested, it implies that Yzerman is likely looking for a longer-term commitment from Ullmark rather than a quick fix. The trade scenario between the Bruins and Red Wings for Linus Ullmark is expected to develop after July 1 when the veteran goaltender can officially negotiate an extension.

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Detroit Red Wings expected to bring in new goalie

The Red Wings have not qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2016. This year, they came close but faced a tough stretch in the later part of the season.

Their slip in the standings was partly due to the struggles in their goaltending department and lack of consistency from the backups. With James Reimer becoming a free agent this summer and the uncertainty of his return to the club, the Detroit Red Wings are expected to bring in a goaltender to bolster that position.

Speaking to The Athletic last week, GM Steve Yzerman said:

"We will look at the goalie market, and if something makes sense for us to do that we think improves us, whether that be via trade or free agency, we’re not opposed to doing that."

Ullmark has previously blocked a trade to the LA Kings during the NHL trade deadline. It's uncertain whether the Detroit Red Wings are included on his 15-team-no-trade list.