An arbitrator has decided on a 1-year deal for Buffalo netminder Linus Ullmark.
By Chad DeDominicis / Diebytheblade.com
After signing Jake McCabe to a new contract earlier today, the Buffalo Sabres found out the results of Linus Ullmark arbitration hearing. The arbitrator awarded Ullmark a one-year deal worth $1.325 million for next season. The report going into the hearing was the Sabres were requesting $800 thousand, while Ullmark’s camp was looking for $2.65 million.
In this case the neutral arbitrator ruled in favor of the cap hit that is closer to what the Sabres requested. Ullmark is another player who will join a handful of significant players who will be a restricted free agent next summer.
This will be an important season for the 26-year-old Swede. The Sabres will likely need him to show signs that he’s capable of being a goaltender for them moving forward. After a rough end to last season with a .905 save percentage, he still has a lot of questions to answer about his future.
The Lugnvik, Sweden native made his professional debut as an 18-year-old in 2011-12 with MODO of the Swedish Hockey League and was selected by the Sabres in the sixth round (163rd overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft. Before becoming an NHL regular, he was twice selected to appear in the AHL All-Star Classic as a member of the Rochester Americans (2016 and 2017). In the SHL, he was awarded the Honken Trophy as the league’s top goaltender in 2013-14 after leading all netminders with a .931 save percentage in his first full professional season.