“It was a fun thing at first, but it got hard”: Bruins superstar Linus Ullmark tells the heartbreaking origins of his Icebeardude X moniker.
Linus Ullmark, the Swedish goaltender for the Boston Bruins, is renowned for his exceptional skills on the ice. However, there’s more to his persona than just what you see during a game. If you ever happen to search for Linus Ullmark on X, you’ll discover a unique and somewhat quirky online username: Icebeardude.
While the roots of this username may spark your interest, they reflect a painful and difficult phase in Ullmark’s life, underlining the extraordinary journey that lead him to become one of the NHL’s top goaltenders.
In a recent conversation on Expressen’s podcast Hockeypuls, Ullmark opened up about the nickname and its somewhat sad origins.
“I’ve always been called a polar bear since I was little,” he explained.
The nickname might sound harmless, but there’s more to the story. The name harkens back to Ullmark’s time in junior high school, where he, like many teenagers, began developing more body hair, especially on his arms. His classmates noticed, and what began as innocent teasing eventually took on a darker tone.
Ullmark recalled,
“For some strange reason, mine has always been white.” It was more bullying at first, and it still is. I grew up with it.”
He initially dismissed the comments and jokes, but as time passed, he understood that the situation was not as lighthearted as it appeared. Ullmark, on the other hand, has no ill will toward people who once teased him.
“I’m not bitter towards these people today. I understand they didn’t see it; I didn’t bring it up with them,”
He shared,
“I noticed that it wasn’t particularly funny that people could be disgusted by my hair on my arms. It was maybe a fun thing in the beginning, but it got hard.”
As Ullmark matured, he came to terms with the nickname, accepted it as a part of himself, and even decided to keep it as his username.
He further said,
“I accepted it after a while… I became more comfortable with myself.”
Upon being asked if he’ll ever remove it, Ullmark said,
“No, I’m not going to remove it. It’s a bit funny.”
More on Linus Ullmark’s remarkable achievement
Linus Ullmark is now in a place few other Swedes have reached. This past summer, he was honored as the NHL’s best goaltender, previously bestowed upon only Pelle Lindbergh and Henrik Lundqvist. Ullmark’s career highlights include selection for the All-Star weekend and a rare feat for a goalkeeper: scoring a goal during a game.
Ullmark’s tenacity and spirit have propelled him to the peak of ice hockey despite a late start in professional hockey, having not been selected until he was a teenager. He values his personal development more than his professional achievements.
“I’m probably more satisfied with who I am as a person than as a professional hockey goalie.”
Linus Ullmark’s inspirational tale demonstrates the value of resilience and self-acceptance.
