The city of Boston has been blessed with winning. The Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, and Boston Bruins all winning a championship in the 2000s have fans spoiled. And for over a decade, the Bruins have been perennial contenders giving fans a reason to be happy. In addition to that, the fans and organization have been spoiled in regard to one position in particular. The Boston Bruins goaltending has always been a bright spot and has shined brightly this season.
Boston Bruins Goaltending Shining Brightly
Over the course of time, the Bruins have always had goaltending. Going back into history you had Andy Moog, Gerry Cheevers, and Tiny Thompson to name a few. But in regards to recently, the team has been blessed in terms or transition. It is never easy to transition to another high-calibre starter when the guy prior retires or moves on.
It’s taken the New Jersey Devils forever to find their guy after the departure of Martin Brodeur, whereas the New York Rangers went from Henrik Lundqvist to Igor Shesterkin beautifully. And just like New York, Boston has transitioned nicely.
How blessed and fortunate to go from Tim Thomas to Tuukka Rask to Linus Ullmark. With how well Boston is playing right now, a large part of it is due to the Vezina calibre play of Ullmark and the vibes he is giving off-take us back to the 2010-11 season.
The Vibes Given Off By Ullmark
Many question the move when Don Sweeney brought him into the fold. But since taking over in the Bruins crease it has been nothing but good. In his first season, he split time with fellow mate Jeremy Swayman and had a 2.45 GAA and a .917 save percentage (both team highs). But this season is a different beast. Ullmark has a 1.86 goals-against average, .939 save percentage, and 21 wins. He currently leads the league in all three of those categories. In addition, he ranks 27th in high danger save percentage, and his 20.4 GSAx also ranks at the top of the league. However, his elite play has given off the vibes of a former goaltender.
The month of December has been nothing but great by Ullmark. He has gone 7-0-1 with one shutout victory. His rock solid 1.72 GAA and .943 save percentage are all very close to what Thomas did and we all know how that went that season. In addition, he has only allowed 14 goals all month, which was better than Thomas. Ullmark concludes the month with a 3.55 GSAA, and a .883 high danger save percentage. He has carried the bulk of the load and is a candidate for the Vezina Trophy. But how does this give off the vibes of former goaltender Tim Thomas?
The Tim Thomas Comparable
We all remember how great Tim Thomas was for the Boston Bruins. Thomas went on to capture the Vezina Trophy, Conn Smythe Trophy, and the Stanley Cup. In addition, he had the third-best goals saved above expected with 30.53. But there’s a reason why Ullmark is giving off the same vibes Thomas did this season. The numbers Thomas posted were absurd, especially in December. In December, Thomas went 7-2-3 and rocked a 1.94 GAA and a .942 save percentage and a GSAA of 0.82.
How Sweet It Is
Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark has been a rock in the net this season. It is a blessing to the team and the fans and is a treat to watch. The vibes being given off resemble what Tim Thomas did that season. There is no telling if the Bruins will be the ones to hoist the Stanley Cup, but if Ullmark keeps playing the way he’s been, then there’s a chance. What a story that would be and how awesome it could look to compare by season’s end.
Main Photo:
