The Ottawa Senators are not pushing to get a contract done with Linus Ullmark.
President and general manager Steve Staios told reporters Wednesday that he wants the newly acquired goaltender to get comfortable with the community before contract talks begin.
Ullmark was acquired in June in a trade with the Boston Bruins in exchange for goalie Joonas Korpisalo, centre Mark Kastelic and a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
It was a gamble for Ottawa in trading for Ullmark with the 30-year-old heading into the final year of his contract. However, the Senators have been looking for stability in net, which the team believes Ullmark can bring after posting a 22-10-7 record with a 2.55 goals-against average and .915 save percentage last season.
Ullmark says his family is enjoying the peace and quiet since moving to Ottawa and told reporters that he is at his best on the ice when his family is doing well.
But, the expectations are high, as Ulmark believes the team needs to have the right mindset from the beginning in order to make a push for the playoffs.
“It doesn’t matter what team, you have high expectations of your team. We all play to win, winning is fun,” Ullmark told reporters. “The first step is to create a culture and try to get back in the playoffs.”