Bruins goalie hug, explained: How Linus Ullmark, Jeremy Swayman's embrace has become Boston winning tradition

Hockey hugs are the best.

Just ask Bruins goaltenders Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. 

The goaltending duo has been the most dominant tandem this season. The two should win the William M. Jennings Trophy as the NHL's best pair of goaltenders and have played a major role in Boston's record-setting regular season.

However, the best part of Ullmark and Swayman's pairing isn't the goaltending itself, but the celebratory embrace that has taken place after every Bruins win this year.

What's better than a goalie hug? A post goalie-goal goalie hug. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/7jRbPJb5gk

— NHL (@NHL) February 26, 2023

Another day, another Ullmark & Swayman goalie hug 🤗 pic.twitter.com/zIh4RDw4Uz

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 24, 2023

While teams always go and give kudos to their goaltender after a win, no one has done it in the way that Swayman and Ullmark have. The two add a little extra flare, bending down and opening their arms up, way up in the air before coming in for the embrace. 

"We love having the hockey community, young and old, all around the nation supporting that," Swayman said in an article on NHL.com. "We weren't doing it for the lights or the camera. We were doing it for each other and it's pretty special how it blossomed."

The heart-warming tradition has quickly swept through not just New England, but the entire hockey world. Fans know not to rush their exits from TD Garden or a visiting arena, instead sticking around for a few extra minutes to see the two goalies hug it out. 

Ullmark and Swayman are looking to continue the trend in the postseason, as the Bruins enter the 2023 playoffs as the top seed in the Eastern Conference and the odds-on favorite to win the Stanley Cup. 

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The Sporting News has more details on the Bruins goalie hug and how it got started. 

How Linus Ullmark, Jeremy Swayman's hug has become a winning tradition

There was no preparation that went into the Bruins goalie hug between Ullmark and Swayman, which makes it even better. 

The first embrace occurred in the 2021-22 season opener for the Bruins. It was the first regular season game with the two goalies as a pair. Swayman was in his first full season with the Bruins after ending his collegiate career with Maine, and it was the first season for Ullmark in Boston, who signed as a free agent from Buffalo. 

"The hug started super naturally," Swayman said. "I think it was after the first game against Dallas in the regular season last year. It was an emotional game, it was super exciting. [My] first Opening Night. And usually, you get a head tap or a high five from a goalie, but [Ullmark] came in fully swinging and I was ready for it.

It's just like, 'this is so natural,' and we're just gonna hug because that's what we felt in the moment. We didn't realize it was going to become what it became. We're super fortunate for that.

Neither goaltender expected the tradition to take over in the way it has. 

Multiple videos can be seen of youth hockey goaltenders emulating the hug from the two Boston goalies. There are a number of websites that have merchandise with the two goalies hugging on pennants, T-shirts and towels. 

"It was a surprise that it grew to such a big thing," Ullmark said. "There was this little, little thing that we do, which is a simple hug. And it just grew and grew and grew. And all of a sudden, we're getting videos and pictures from minor goaltenders. We're getting videos from their mom just thanking us for showing that love, that happiness and respect towards each other.

And we're like, 'we're on to something here…this is bigger than us.' We never thought it would grow to be this big. And we were very fortunate and very happy that something bigger and something better did come out of it.

Linus Ullmark 2022-23 stats

Ullmark finished up his best season to date in his eight-year NHL career, posting career-highs in wins, goals-against average and save percentage. He is very likely going to win the 2023 Vezina as the league's best goaltender.

Jeremy Swayman 2022-23 stats

If not for the emergence of Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson, Swayman would have run away with the title of best backup this year. But still, Swayman has been one of the strongest No. 2 goalies this year and likely could be a starter on a number of teams. 

Despite starting in fewer games, Swayman's numbers are only slightly worse than Ullmark's, and they are still impressive enough to rank in the top five in the league for a number of goaltending statistics.