Linus Ullmark had the best seasons of his nine-year NHL career in a Boston Bruins uniform. The veteran netminder posted an 88-26-10 record during his three-year run with the Bruins and even tied a franchise record with 40 wins during the record-breaking 2022-23 season. That year Ullmark was also crowned the league’s Vezina Trophy winner. […]
Linus Ullmark had the best seasons of his nine-year NHL career in a Boston Bruins uniform.
The veteran netminder posted an 88-26-10 record during his three-year run with the Bruins and even tied a franchise record with 40 wins during the record-breaking 2022-23 season. That year Ullmark was also crowned the league’s Vezina Trophy winner.
Ullmark certainly left his mark on the organization and the Bruins made their mark on Ullmark, especially one member of the coaching staff.
Ullmark has immense respect for longtime Bruins goalie coach Bob Essensa and made sure to shout him out when he met with the media Wednesday for the first time since being traded to the Ottawa Senators.
“Goalie Bob is a special human being in all the right ways,” Ullmark told reporters, per Boston.com’s Conor Ryan. “He is a terrific guy. He is a special human being and he brings a smile to my face every time I see him, whenever I’m around him. We’ve had our conversations and discussions throughout the years, but there’s never been any bad blood and we’ve always had a good understanding of what needs to be done. And I’ve enjoyed every single moment together with him and I have a lot of gratitude toward Bobby.”
Essensa is by far the longest-tenured member of Boston’s coaching staff. He was named the team’s goaltending coach prior to the 2003-04 season and his fingerprints are all over a successful number of Bruins goalies, including Andrew Raycroft, Tim Thomas, Tuukka Rask, Jeremy Swayman and Ullmark.
Ullmark believes Essensa’s stellar work over the years should be rewarded with the ultimate honor.
“I’ve said it before — and I really do think that goalie coaches should be available to be selected into the Hall of Fame,” Ullmark said. “And I think he is a first-ballot Hall of Famer in that regard.”
