OTTAWA — The Ottawa Senators signed goaltender Linus Ullmark to a four-year contract extension Wednesday worth US$33 million.

The contract has an average annual value of $8.25 million, the NHL team said. The news came on the eve of the Senators' season opener against the visiting Florida Panthers.

“We are excited to have Linus signed to a contract extension before the start of the regular season,” Senators president of hockey operations and general manager Steve Staios said in a release.

“In a short window of time, Linus has been able to see the culture we’re trying to grow with our hockey club and his family has experienced the community spirit of Ottawa-Gatineau.”

Ottawa acquired the 31-year-old Ullmark last June in a trade with the Boston Bruins for Mark Kastelic, Joonas Korpisalo, and a 2024 first-round pick that became centre Dean Letourneau.

Ullmark has a 138-73-23 record over nine NHL seasons with the Buffalo Sabres and Boston. He has a career goals-against average of 2.51 and a .919 save percentage.

He won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s most outstanding goaltender for his play in the 2022-23 season.

Ullmark was selected by the Sabres in the sixth round (No. 163 overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft. He spent three seasons with Modo in the Swedish Hockey League before making his NHL debut in 2015-16.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2024.