Henderson, Nev. — Having been overlooked by his compatriots at the 4 Nations Face-Off and subsequently by the national team management for the World Championships, Swedish goaltender Linus Ullmark understands that he must earn his place on the Olympic roster.
Frankly, the 2023 Vezina Trophy recipient no longer holds the top position in his home country`s goaltending hierarchy. With Jacob Markstrom now healthy, Ullmark faces a significant challenge to secure a spot among the top three.
“One shouldn`t take life`s opportunities for granted, should they? Sometimes you get to experience them directly, other times you don`t. However, I won`t be fixated on the Olympics right now, as that`s not what truly matters. What`s crucial is my performance today and tomorrow, alongside my teammates in Ottawa,” Ullmark stated during a recent recording of the 32 Thoughts podcast with Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas.
He added, “If I fail to perform effectively with them, there`s absolutely no possibility of me competing for Team Sweden at the Olympics. That much is perfectly clear.”
During the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, the Senators` starting goaltender faced 17 shots over 41 minutes, stopping 15 of them, yet received less playing time than Filip Gustavsson and Samuel Ersson.
Following Ottawa’s six-game playoff exit against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round, Ullmark was not invited to represent Sweden at the IIHF Men’s World Championship.
“I expressed my interest, but they ultimately chose not to include me,” Ullmark informed reporters during the Senators’ end-of-season media availability.
The fact that the World Championships were co-hosted in Stockholm, a relatively short distance from Ullmark’s hometown of Lugnvik, intensified his disappointment.
Instead, Sweden opted for a goaltending duo of Ersson and Markstrom.
The 32-year-old Ullmark achieved a respectable .909 save percentage in his debut season with Ottawa, helping the Senators reach the postseason for the first time in eight years. However, his save percentage dropped to .880 during the playoff series against Toronto.
To strengthen his bid for an Olympic spot with Team Sweden, Ullmark recognizes he must dedicate his complete focus to his performance with the Senators.
“If my statistics are subpar and I’m losing games, I wouldn’t expect to be considered,” Ullmark admitted.
He concluded, “This is my chance to excel and demonstrate once more that I deserve to be one of the two goaltenders representing Team Sweden at the Olympics.”