Cassidy prevents history from being made by starting Ullmark Game 1
Head Coach Bruce Cassidy announced Ullmark would be the team's starter in the postseason.
By doing so, the Bruins head coach obviously admitted that he viewed Jeremy Swayman as the team's backup goaltender for the time being.
The news is unfortunate for the Bruins rookie netminder, as he was on the verge of doing something that's rarely been done in Boston Bruins history.
As a matter of fact, should Swayman have gotten the start for Game 1, he would've become only the fifth rookie in the NHL's expansion era (since 1967-1968) to start the opening game of the postseason for Boston.
To this date, the only four netminders to begin the playoffs for the Bruins while being in their very first year in the league are:
- Tuukka Rask in the 2010 Conference Quarterfinals
- Andrew Raycroft in the 2004 Conference Quarterfinals
- Blaine Lacher in the 1995 Conference Quarterfinals
- Mike Moffat in the 1982 Division Semifinals.
At this point, Boston fans can only hope that Swayman doesn't need to play in any games for the club during these playoffs, but should he get between the pipes and start winning, he could still etch his name in Bruins history.
Overall, only eight different rookie goaltenders have registered a playoff win for the Bruins, so Swayman could become the ninth with a single W.
However, should he get eight wins (or more), he could match or surpass Frank Brimsek's single-postseason franchise rookie record, when he won eights games to back the club to its second Stanley Cup back in 1939.
