Bruins Arrive in Nashville for 2023 NHL Awards

NASHVILLE - Linus Ullmark and Jim Montgomery hit the Music City on Sunday evening to reflect on the Bruins' magical 2023 regular season and the club's disappointing first-round exit to the Florida Panthers as they met with reporters at Bridgestone Arena for NHL Awards media day.

Ullmark is a finalist for the Vezina Trophy and Montgomery for the Jack Adams Award, as both experience their first NHL Awards. Patrice Bergeron, a finalist for the Selke Trophy, and David Pastrnak, a finalist for the Hart Trophy, did not take part in the media festivities.

"I think it's similar to the All-Star experience. You're around the elite of the league who had tremendous years last year and it's just fun to be a part of that," said Montgomery, who was the Atlantic Division's head coach at the All-Star Game in Florida this past winter. "It speaks to the season we had. You want to use the term magical, historical. We had a great year. A lot of players got recognized individually for team success."

Ullmark tied team single season records with 40 victories and a .938 save percentage, to go along with a 1.89 goals against average, as he helped backstop the Bruins to an NHL record 65 wins and 135 points.

"It's the first time for me," the netminder said of his trip to the NHL Awards. "Something that you dream about, to be a part of that…your play on the ice has been recognized and you have an opportunity to do something like this is very honorable.

"It's taken a long time to kind of digest the whole thing, to understand the magnitude of it because we only had two prior Vezina Trophy winners from Sweden, so for me to be in this position is huge. It's both a dream come true but also a very honorable thing.

"Henrik Lundqvist is now a first ballot Hall of Famer. Pelle Lindbergh, who sadly left us all too soon, they were tremendous goaltenders. If you could have the same success as they had, that would be something to really look back at and cherish once your career is over."

Falling Short

Ullmark admitted that he is "very motivated" and inspired for next season after the Bruins' shocking first-round loss to Florida.

"I try not to dwell on the past," said Ullmark. "What's happened has happened. But it's given me a lot of time to think about what I can improve in my game as well. A lot of things that happen to learn from. I'm a lot wiser and used to it so when next season comes and I'm put in the same positions, I'm probably gonna be a lot more confident when it comes to certain things."

Montgomery, meanwhile, said he continually played the postseason over and over in his head as he tried to determine where things went wrong for the Black & Gold after their historic regular season.

"You just do it, you do it in your head," said Montgomery, who added that it was too painful for him to watch the remainder of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as a fan. "The games are so vivid in your memory. I've looked at scoring chances. As a staff during Development Camp [next week], we're gonna review that as where were we shy, what areas were we good and really pinpoint [that]…how do we grow from it. That's what I'm looking at."

Boston's bench boss said that outside of Games 3-5 against Florida, he felt his club played much slower than it did during the regular season.

"We were very fluid in the regular season and in the playoffs," said Montgomery. "The defending part kind of got away from us, especially in big moments…the net front, I think we lost that…too many screens and not enough box outs for our liking…that's an area, unfortunately, we didn't win. If we win that area, I think we would've moved on."

Montgomery said that as painful as the postseason shortcoming has been, the Bruins must aim to use the disappointment in a positive way moving forward.

"When I think of our season and the history of the league, it's pretty special what we accomplished," said Montgomery. "That's never gonna go away. The next team that comes along, we're gonna be one of the teams in that breath. I don't know if it takes away the pain because that lingers with us. We know we fell short. That pain lives with you, but your failings - as long as you learn from them - they make you stronger and they make you better and that's where we're at."

Offseason of Change?

The Bruins front office has acknowledged that change is likely this offseason with Boston up against the salary cap and the pending decisions of Bergeron and David Krejci regarding their playing futures. As such, Montgomery is prepared to have a much different club in 2023-24.

"We're gonna have to win with less," said Montgomery. "We all know the cap situation, so things are gonna change for us. But Florida two years ago had a much better regular season and they're in the Finals with…I don't know if they're better or worse, who knows, but they got there. They're happier with their season this year.

"Once [Bruins GM] Don Sweeney's done doing his job, I'll know what the roster is. All those questions, they're all balls in the air. We'd like to have everybody back. I'd love to be able to run it back with that exact same team because I know the results in the playoffs, I believe, would be drastically different.

"But that's not the NHL, that's not gonna happen. I don't like to talk about what ifs. Let's see what our roster looks like come September."

With restricted free agent Jeremy Swayman due for a new contract, Ullmark acknowledged the possibility that there also might be a notable change between the pipes.

"It crossed my mind. I'm not gonna lie," Ullmark said when asked about the possibility of a trade. "That's the business part of it…when you have two goalies that are so close when it comes to stats wise, there's gonna be some changes probably. Hopefully - I think I speak for both of us - that we both want to be together and we want to stay in Boston because that's where we've thrived and seen the success we've had.

"We've just got to see. There's a personal side to it and a business side to it. That's just what being a professional hockey player is…it's a lot ifs, what ifs. I try not to think about it too much. For me, at least, that's not important at this point. Whenever that day comes [for change] or if it ever comes, that's something that I have to deal with.

"Everybody's enjoying it. The city, the organization, the fans, you name it, even on our street, people that we live with, our neighbors, have been tremendous. It's been fun."

Ullmark added that he was pleased with the way the workload was divided up between him and Swayman throughout the season.

"It worked if you look at stat wise and the way we played, there's nothing to really complain about on that end," said Ullmark. "I think it kind of goes to every single goaltender in the league that you want to play every single game. It doesn't matter if you're playing well, if you're playing worse, you're always gonna have that mindset. But at the end of the day, the team success goes forward to your personal success even though they go hand in hand.

"Jeremy was playing out of his mind as well. He was one of the top goalies in the league. He was given starts that he earned. I was trying to do the same thing for myself. It's hard when you have two hot goalies, you want to keep them in and fresh at all times.

"If he was way worse, then I assume I would have played a lot more games but we were so tight and neck and neck when it comes to our game, I felt it was valid that he got the starts that he got and I got the amount of starts that I got."

Given the success that Ullmark and Swayman had during the 2022-23 campaign, Montgomery acknowledged the disappointment that would come with having to potentially break up the Jennings Trophy (least goals allowed) winning duo.

"Our goaltending has been superb," said Montgomery. "Ullmark's season was fantastic. I can't remember one game in the regular season where I was like, 'Oh my god, he's not there tonight.' Amazing consistency…he started in Game 1, he made some amazing saves against Washington [in the season opener]. It just never stopped. It was kind of, 'when is it gonna drop?' and it never dropped, so we were very lucky to have him.

"Who wants to lose the Vezina Trophy winner? And if Bergeron decides to retire, we lose the Selke winner, too. It goes back to we had a great year. The Bruins, we have to do things differently next year. We'll have to see what that looks like."

Wait, There's More

• Montgomery said that Patrice Bergeron's commitment to the defensive side of the game - which has earned him his record-extending 12th straight finalist nod for the Selke Trophy - probably cost him around 250 more points across his career. "He doesn't [cheat]," said Montgomery. "I honestly believe he'd have 250 more points in the NHL if he had cheat in him. But the Bruins wouldn't have as many wins and that's what he cares about. It's a special culture to be a part of the Bruins because of him and the other leaders who have instilled that in the team."
• Ullmark said he is "back in business" when it comes to his health. "I had a couple week there to rehabilitate and recharge mentally and physically," said the netminder.