Coach Montgomery has made it clear that the Boston Bruins' goaltending rotation, featuring Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman, will remain consistent unless there's a standout performance or injury. This strategy helped the duo secure the William Jennings Trophy last season.
"We're sticking to the same mindset as last year; both goalies will get their chances. We won't rely on just one guy,"
said Montgomery during a media briefing on Friday.
Linus Ullmark had a stellar season, winning the 2023 Vezina Trophy. The 30-year-old goalie posted impressive stats with a 40-6-1 record, a 1.89 GAA, and a .938 save percentage, leading the NHL in wins, GAA, and save percentage. This achievement made him the eighth goalie in NHL history to lead in all three categories, a feat not seen since Carey Price in 2014-15.
Despite their accolades, both Ullmark and Swayman understand that they must continually earn their starts. Ullmark emphasized,
"You don't get games for free; you have to keep earning them."
Swayman, coming off a strong season with a 24-6-4 record, a 2.27 GAA, and a .920 save percentage, secured a new one-year, $3.47 million contract in arbitration this past July.