2. Contract was totally fair; the biggest risk is now gone
When players enter the final year of their contract, they will be looking to be paid well. Linus Ullmark having a Vezina Trophy over the past three seasons was going to help his case to be paid high. Now, Ullmark's contract was more than fair on both sides.
Ullmark is entering this season at 31 years old, and now has signed an extension for four-years, $33 million. Ullmark will be making $8.25 million per year which is more than fair until 2029.
The evolution of goaltender contracts have been shaky for years, but $8.25 million is more than fair for Ullmark with having a Vezina Trophy on his resume. Ironically, $8.25 million is the same salary his ex-teammate Jeremy Swayman received from the Bruins.
When the trade was made for Ullmark, it came with a risk of taking for Ottawa by taking on an expiring contract. If the Senators were to miss the playoffs in 2025 or were considering trading Ullmark to a playoff contending team at the trade deadline, trading for Ullmark wouldn't have been worth it. Now, the biggest risk of trading for Ullmark is gone with the extension.
The price of Ullmark's contract also allows the Senators to sign other free agents in 2025. With the Senators having key free agents after the season like Claude Giroux, Nick Cousins, Anton Forsberg and Ridly Greig, the Senators can have money to sign players in free agency.
Ullmark also isn't going to be the highest paid player on the Senators. The highest paid player on the Senators remains Tim Stutzle. In the end, the contract length and salary per year was more than fair for Ullmark, and he deserved the extension.