Jeremy Swayman, left, back the Bruins No. 1 goalie in the playoffs last season after splitting time with Linus Ullmark, right. Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

The Bruins may not have reached their goal of a Stanley Cup when they had the best goaltending tandem in the NHL, but they won a lot of hockey games in those two years.

And each of those wins was punctuated by a demonstrative hug between Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman, the starter drenched in sweat and the backup dry and relaxed with a ball cap on.

On Saturday night, the two goalies will meet as opponents for the first time when Ullmark makes his first trip back to TD Garden in Boston  since being traded to the Ottawa Senators last summer.

Asked if it’s hit him that Ullmark not only plays for another team but one that’s creeping back into the picture as an Atlantic Division rival, Swayman laughed.

“It still hasn’t hit,” said Swayman after Friday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena. “It still feels like I’ve got his presence around here and the traditions that we have still live on. That’s with every guy that’s been through this locker room and the relationships I’ve had with forwards and D-men alike and staff. That’s a testament to the guys that have been through this locker room and worn the jersey. We’re brothers for life.”

The Ullmark-Swayman relationship was as symbiotic as the Bruins have had with their goalies. In Ullmark’s first Bruins’ season in 2021-22, Swayman was a rookie and they essentially split time, though there was an awkward interlude when Tuukka Rask was trying to make a comeback from a back injury that lasted four games.

The next season, it became a 1A-1B situations, with Ullmark playing 49 games while posting a 40-6-1 record with an 1.89 GAA and .938 save percentage, earning the Vezina Trophy that season.

But just as Ullmark reached the personal pinnacle for a goalie, it started to become clear that Swayman’s talents were blossoming. Last year it was a straight goalie rotation through the regular season but, after Ullmark lost Game 2 against Toronto in the first round of the playoffs, Swayman was given the job for the rest of the run.

Many goalies in Ullmark’s position could have become resentful of the younger goalie in that situation, but the opposite was true. He mentored Swayman and they became close friends. Swayman, a young, single guy, became a regular house guest at the Ullmark family home.

It was an important relationship in the development of Swayman as a goalie, which can be a lonely position at times.

“It goes to show what kind of character he has and his awareness to pick up those guys around him and see what he could help with, with the experiences that he’s gone through and shed some light on me, so that I wouldn’t make the same mistakes or would have a little better awareness in certain situations,” said Swayman. “I’ll be forever grateful for that and he knows that. I still will call him if I have questions. It’s really great to see the success that he had and will continue to have because of what he has between the ears.”

The Senators were scheduled to have a team dinner in Boston on Friday but Swayman said he was going to try to “sneak in a little hang-out” with Ullmark at some point.

Swayman said whenever he does get in touch with Ullmark during the season, which isn’t always easy, the conversations usual don’t have much to do with hockey.

“We distance ourselves from the hockey part because we both have jobs to do and the schedules will collide,” said Swayman. “I’ve got a game one night, he’s got a game the other night so it’s always good to just check in with him as a human being and with the outside noise like finding a different place to live and situating three kids and of course (Ullmark’s wife) Moa. There’s a lot of factors going on for both parties. We have busy lives separately but we also know that whenever we need a shoulder to lean on, we’re there for each other.”

Both goalies are trying to get their games on track. Ullmark’s is 2-4 with an .892 save percentage and 3.02 GAA while Swayman is 4-5-1 with an .894 save percentage and 3.14 GAA.

How and if the former tandem mates acknowledge each other on the ice remains to be seen. An on-ice hug at the end of the game would be too awkward for words. One of them, after all, will be taking an L.

Said a smiling Swayman: “It’s always organic, so I guess you’ll have to wait and see. Keep you on your toes.”

ULLMARK WASN’T THE only player involved in the trade, of course. On top of the first-round pick that became Dean Letourneau, the Bruins also acquired Swayman’s new backup, Joonas Korpisalo, and center Mark Kastelic. Both have played well for the Bruins in the young season.

Kastelic, with three goals and four assists in 14 games, will most likely be setting new personal highs for offensive production – his previous best was seven goals and four assists in Ottawa two seasons ago – while playing exactly the hard-nosed style for which the Bruins were looking.

“I think his offensive potential is much more surprising,” said Bruins Coach Jim Montgomery. “His compete, his willingness to be hard in all three zones is something that we had seen when we played against him when he was in Ottawa. And speaking to a lot of coaches that coached him, there’s not a coach who has not loved him. So we knew he’d fit in good as a Bruin.”

Kastelic has fond memories of the Senators organization.

“I think I grew a lot,” said Kastelic. “It taught me a lot about being an NHLer. I’m very grateful for everything they did for me as a player, from the staff and management on down. I owe a lot to them for giving me my opportunity in the NHL. I had a great couple of years in Ottawa and Belleville. I definitely matured and felt like I learned how to be a pro there. I’ve got nothing but kind things to say about the organization. You can clearly see they’re going in the right direction still, so I wish them nothing but the best. I have a lot of positive memories.”