Ottawa Senators` star goaltender, Linus Ullmark, has openly shared his thoughts on rule adjustments he believes the league should consider for the future.
During an interview with The Hockey News at the NHL`s annual Players` Tour in Las Vegas, Ullmark put forth proposals concerning the duration of regular-season overtime and how goaltender interference incidents are evaluated.
The Swedish netminder conveyed to Ryan Kennedy his preference for a longer overtime period, similar to the format seen in February`s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, as opposed to the current five-minute standard.
“In my view, we ought to extend overtime by five minutes, akin to what was done at the 4 Nations event. This would place a greater emphasis on actual gameplay,” Ullmark stated.
The recipient of the 2023 Vezina Trophy elaborated that an extended overtime period would, theoretically, decrease the frequency of shootouts required to resolve tied games.
“From a goalie`s standpoint, you can play the game of your life, achieve a shutout – and the opposing goalie might be equally phenomenal – only to then concede three goals in a shootout, leaving you feeling like the worst goaltender ever,” Ullmark explained, noting his “love-hate” relationship with shootouts.
“There`s an incredible thrill when you stop all three shots and secure the win; it`s a rush because it`s just you and the shooter on the line. You get that intense feeling. But when you`re the one responsible for a loss, it`s truly painful.”
Ullmark was equally candid about addressing other contentious NHL rules, offering his solution to the persistent ambiguity surrounding goaltender interference.
“I would advocate for the establishment of a dedicated goal review official or referee in Toronto, specifically one with a goaltender`s understanding, to provide definitive, black-and-white rulings on what constitutes and what does not constitute goaltender interference,” he suggested.
Ullmark clarified that the differing perspectives between a goaltender and an opposing player contribute significantly to the vagueness of interference calls, making coach`s challenges feel like a “gamble” due to the rule`s subjective nature.
He further expressed his ideal scenario: goaltender interference calls should be as “clear-cut as offside” or, at minimum, have existing grey areas thoroughly addressed and defined within the official rulebook.
“Often, it boils down to mere inches and the angle from which an incident is viewed,” Ullmark continued. “A goalie might be outside his crease, attempting to return, but gets entangled with an opponent. The rulebook technically states that if you`re outside the crease, it shouldn`t be interference. Yet, if he`s actively trying to get back but is prevented, I`d prefer to remove that ambiguity.”
While achieving complete objectivity for the NHL`s most subjective rule may be an ambitious goal, the league has previously attempted to provide clarity to general managers regarding this regulation.
“These situations are not always black and white,” remarked Kris King, NHL`s vice president of hockey operations, in March, as reported by Eric Engels. “They involve a considerable amount of judgment… Each instance is unique, like a snowflake. Many different factors come into play.”
Ullmark is set to begin his second year with the Senators. His inaugural season in Ottawa saw him post a .910 save percentage and a 2.72 goals-against average, a slight decrease from his two preceding seasons in Boston, though he did achieve a career-best four shutouts in the 2024-25 season.
He and his Senators teammates will commence their 2025-26 season on October 9th in Tampa Bay.
