Ullmark recently completed an impressive rookie year in Sweden's top league, emerging as MODO's go-to option in net to capture 17 wins, a 2.08 GAA and a league-best .931 save% to win the Honken Trophy as the Swedish Hockey League's Goalie of the Year. He represented Sweden at three of the four Euro Hockey Tour events, and was later rostered by his country at the 2014 IIHF World Championship.
Ullmark is an excellent first-save goalie, using his big frame and aggressive angles to take away the bottom shelf of the net. He does a good job looking over screens to track the puck, and his glove hand is quick. Getting quicker in the crease and traveling to more shots on his feet will be keys to his development moving forward, but there is no question that the 20-year old has a solid platform to build from.
Prior to signing, Ullmark stated his intentions of remaining in Sweden for the final year of his NHL contract before making the jump to North America in 2015-16.
While we're at, Sabres Prospects can neither confirm nor deny that Ullmark, upon signing his name to his first NHL deal, hit the streets of Ornskoldsvik for a little moonwalk celebration.
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Earlier in the week, the Sabres announced the inking of Nicolas Deslauriers to a new two-year contract. Deslauriers, who arrived in Buffalo along with Hudson Fasching in exchange for Brayden McNabb and a pair of draft picks, scored a goal and engaged in two scraps in his first 17 NHL games with the Sabres. The QMJHL product finished the year with the AHL's Rochester Americans, scoring two goals and five points in 10 games including the playoffs. The 23-year old winger will earn $625,000 and $650,000 over the next two seasons.
