Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman have developed an inseparable bond as goalie partners for the Boston Bruins over the past three seasons. Neither are ruling out running it back for 2024-25, but recognize the organization's plans could be different.

BRIGHTON, Mass. – After three seasons sharing the Boston Bruins’ crease, Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark could be heading on separate paths.

Ullmark, 30, has one year left on his contract, while the 25-year-old Swayman will be a restricted free agent this summer. Each goalie addressed the media a final time on Sunday before parting ways for the offseason, and this much was clear: Swayman wants to be in Boston… and so does Ullmark. But will the Bruins have room for both?

The duo developed into arguably the best goalie tandem in the NHL. Ullmark won the Vezina Trophy last year, while Swayman was selected to his first All-Star Game this season. Both had near-identical save percentages in 2023-24 – Swayman’s .916 mark was just a hair above Ullmark (.915) – and proved to be a luxury for a Bruins team that struggled at times offensively.

Now it’s becoming a luxury they may not be able to afford. The Bruins are projected to have just under $21 million of cap space this offseason, according to CapFriendly, but with other holes on the roster needing to be addressed and with Swayman already overcoming a tense arbitration last offseason, it would make sense to trade Ullmark and get valuable pieces in return rather than let Ullmark walk after a year for nothing.

The reality is they can’t sign both goalies long term at their current value, and Swayman confirmed he is looking to sign in Boston for the long haul during the Bruins’ end-of-season media availability.

“It’s obvious how much I care about this organization, how much I care about this team and this city. And I wouldn’t want it to be any other way,” Swayman said. “That’s what allowed me to come to the rink every day and give it my absolute all.”

Where things get more complicated is Ullmark’s contract, which includes a limited trade protection. Ullmark had a 16-team no-trade list this season, which will become a 15-team list in 2024-25.

The Bruins reportedly had a deal in place to send Ullmark to the Los Angeles Kings at the NHL Trade Deadline on March 8, but neither Ullmark nor Bruins general manager Don Sweeney commented on the subject at the time.

“I’ve never been a part of any trade talks before so that was a new experience,” Ullmark said on Sunday. “Was it hard? Yeah, it was hard because you’re very comfortable where you are. You don’t want to move when you feel like you’re playing well and you have the team.”

Ullmark said he didn’t want to uproot his family during the season, and that he worked hard to have a no-trade list in his contract, so if the Bruins want to move him it will more or less be on his terms. But he has no plan to leave.

“I have one more year,” Ullmark said. “I wouldn’t want anything else than to come back here and get a little bit of a revenge tour. Like I said, I’m very excited, motivated for what’s to come, especially now.”

The biggest question that came with breaking up the Ullmark-Swayman tandem was if Swayman could handle a larger workload. After he started 12 of Boston’s 13 playoff games and posting a .933 save percentage and 2.15 goals against average, those questions have been answered.

Swayman has shown he can be a true No. 1 goalie, rather than a 1B, and he knows it.

“I’ve been looking forward to this for so long,” Swayman said. “And pro hockey is a different animal because of the schedule, because of the travel and obviously the intensity of the games and to know that I can maintain a high level of play throughout every-other-day play for weeks on end, it’s building confidence for myself and the work I’ve put into my body and how I treat it, and making sure that my recovery and rest is vital, and mental game is just as important.”

While Swayman said he’s ready to take the reins, he also credited part of his success to Ullmark’s support, and that he couldn’t have played as well in the playoffs without him.

Both made it clear that their close relationship won’t end, even if Ullmark’s time in Boston does.

“I couldn’t ask for a better partner, a better brother and a better teammate,” Swayman said. “Him and his family mean the absolute world to me, and to come to the rink every day knowing that it’s more than just a teammate, it’s a brother that I would fight for in the rink, away from the rink, and I know that we’re going to be friends forever.”

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