Linus Ullmark’s new project – Golf Against Childhood Cancer

Linus Ullmark on Modo’s Philanthropy and NHL Success

The best goalkeeper in the world also wants to contribute from the ice.

Recently, Linus Ullmark, 30, organized the AjaBaja charity golf competition in Örnsköldsvik.

– We want to make everyday life easier for children with cancer and their families, says the hockey star.

Billy Lindbergh, Henrik Lundqvist, and Lens Ullmark.

The 30-year-old from the small village of Lugnvik along the River Ångerman joined an exclusive crowd of Swedes when he won the Vezina Trophy, the annual award for the NHL’s best goalkeeper awarded at the end of June.

But we’ll come back to that.

– It was a very good summer. But Linus Ollmark, who was on his way out to the summer cottage in the Örnsköldsvik archipelago when we got to him, was very, very runny.

– After the NHL Awards Gala in Nashville, I booked a trip to Scotland with some friends. I filled out evenly and it was always my dream to play golf in Scotland.

Linus One hitchOne hitchThis means that the golfer has a handicap of 9.9 or less.but according to the statement, he rarely plays golf.

I can clear balls one day and play very well the next. You never know what you’ll get from playing golf from day to day.

Organized golf competition: ‘Want to do more’

Last week he spent Friday at Bottom Golf Club in Örnsköldsvik, though not to play himself but as an arranger.

Philanthropy is close to his heart, and for several years the Boston Bruins goalkeeper was an ambassador for the AjaBajaCancer Foundation, a nonprofit charity that makes the everyday lives of children with cancer and their families easier.

– We had a golf tournament in southern Sweden at Sparen outside Rimbo, and recently – now that I have my own children – I felt like I wanted and could do more, says Linus, a father of two.

– It just felt like something to take with you up north, too. It was a great occasion to do this in Örnsköldsvik, which is where my base is during the summer. We are trying to get out into the country more. We are a national organization, so the money is not local, but everyone gets a piece of the pie. But not everyone may understand it or even know that we exist, so this is also a way to reach as many people as possible in our long country.

Agbaga Golf, as the competition is called, brought together 31 teams and brought in 274,400 crowns. Money that goes directly to affected families in various forms. It could be home delivery of grocery bags, hotel nights, tickets to Skansen or events like Melodifestivalen, Linus says.

Life really stops once you hear about your cancer. You focus on one thing and other things fall into the background. Then we are there to help with everyday life. We appeal to loved ones to contact us so that we can contact the person concerned. It’s not just about physical things and experiences, but we have very competent psychiatrists and other people who have been through the same who can be there as supports during the journey. We also have ambassadors who can help and talk to children or simply make the daily life of the family and children easier and better.

Many hockey stars participated

Hope is to arrange a new contest next year. Linus points out that they are not striving to create a popular golf game, but many local hockey profiles have found their way there anyway.

– We’ve been pulled a little this way. But we were incredibly lucky to have Viktor Olofsson and old foxes like Per-Åge Skröder, Niklas Sundström and Pierre Hedin show up and participate. It was nice and fun that they thought of participating. Everything exceeded expectations when it came to the event itself. It has been very successful for the first year and I have received a lot of positive feedback. I am so proud and happy in my heart.

V-O-Vic Hockey Fever: “Back to Life”

Linus Ullmark moved to Örnsköldsvik when he was 16 years old and left Modo hockey for the NHL and Buffalo Sabers in the summer of 2015. The following spring Modo left the SHL, but now they are back in the sweet room.

Is it noticeable in the city?

– Absolutely. She is a very positive spirit. It feels like life again after seven years and it feels incredibly fun. You can see when you’re interacting with people in town and the general positivity that exists around the team. People who are not really Ö-vik may not be able to understand how Modo affects everyone in the local area.

Linus – just like another decent NHL player named Victor Hedman – trained with Modo during the preseason.

– I am very grateful that we have a good relationship with Modo and myself and the other players from here. For the chance to slip and get some ice passes before we go.

So how does Linus Ullmark think things will go for Modo this winter? The question does not have time to ask, he himself understands how difficult it is to predict the return.

I usually stay away from making any so-called guesses when it comes to the team. It’s very hard to know how things will go once you drop the disc. But it’s like everything else. I’m very optimistic about the team in general. So it will be interesting to follow through the season.

I don’t want to jinx Modo’s progress

Did you catch up on the latest series against Djurgården?

– Somehow I did. I didn’t have the courage to watch it. Because I had no luck watching the playoffs the previous year. Then they lost every game I was watching. So I gave up all forms of watching TV during the playoffs this year. Except for the last 1.30 in game number seven in the final.

It was only at that point (with a lead of 4-0) that sporting director Henrik Gradin and coach Matthias Carlin allowed themselves to feel that things would go their way.

– Yes exactly. You hear about it, and you may see a few later. They are playing the best game ever for the whole season on the most important stage. A big shout out to everyone on the team, really.

Want to end your Modo career on your own?

– Everything depends on how the body and buds are at that time. My goal now is to win the Stanley Cup with Boston. I will do everything in my power to get there. I don’t want to go home to relax. I still want to perform at the highest possible level. I don’t want to feel like I don’t have that in me, because I would do more harm than good. This is how I feel about the club. If I’m going to play at home, I still have to play at a very high level.

Best in the World: “Surreal”

Linus Allmark will soon be starting his third year in Boston and has so far had the best season of his career. During the regular season, he was impressive and the team won 40 of his 49 goaltending games, he had the best save percentage of anyone and no goaltender in NHL history has achieved 40 victories in fewer games. Yes, he even became the first Swedish goalkeeper to score on a February night in Vancouver. Moreover, he was awarded the Vezina Cup after the season.

How do you feel about being named the best goalkeeper in the world from a distance?

– still very surreal. I see myself as the same Linus now as I was five years ago. Just a little older and wiser.

He laughs and continues:

– It’s hard to absorb. Incredibly honorable. Sometimes I stop and think “yeah, that really happened”. Then I feel a great sense of pride in me. But then you jump to the next thing. You may have to change nappies, play, and fix one or the other. Together with the kids and family, it means you have to focus on what’s important right now. And do not dwell on the past.

I analyzed the interval shots

But the season ended in disappointment. The Boston Bruins were big favorites but were knocked out in the first round, against the Stanley Cup Finalists Florida Panthers.

Have you analyzed what went wrong for you?

– I think everyone has analyzed the whole thing. If you look at what Florida is doing after they win against us, I think people understand what a good hockey team they really are. The first round is always the hardest round to pass. It’s an aphorism right there and it shows. It’s very intense. I’ve learned a lot about myself and feel more comfortable in every playoff game.

That’s why Allmark refused the toilet

Linus played the toilet with Tre Kronor last year, but this spring was no thanks to a tournament held in Tampere, Finland, for the second year in a row.

– Physically and mentally, I wasn’t there. I had my flaws that showed up in the qualifiers. It’s pretty much the same question when it comes to Modo. In WC, you want to be able to play at your absolute highest level. Don’t go there just to put your skis on the ice. You also don’t want to put yourself in a situation where things can get serious when it comes to body and mind. So on that occasion, it just wasn’t the right time, unfortunately. I really want to represent Tre Kronor. Looking back, I feel like it was the right decision on our part in hindsight as well.

What’s on the schedule before the season starts?

– It’s “stugsista” on Saturday. A little cleaning of the cabin. Then there’s some training as usual and charity golf with the Icebreakers, says Linus Ullmark and concludes:

I simply enjoy life in general. Carpe diem, as they say.