The Ottawa Senators received troubling news on Sunday as head coach Travis Green announced that starting goaltender Linus Ullmark will be out week-to-week with an upper body injury. The reigning Vezina Trophy winner has not played since sustaining the undisclosed injury during the first period of Ottawa’s 3-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on December 22nd.
Ullmark’s absence deals a significant blow to a Senators team that acquired the elite netminder from the Boston Bruins this past offseason in a blockbuster trade. The 31-year-old has been solid in his first season with Ottawa, posting a 12-7-2 record along with a 2.38 goals-against average and .915 save percentage in 23 games.
Senators Lose Their Star Stopper
Since arriving in Canada’s capital, Ullmark has provided the Senators with the type of elite goaltending they have sorely lacked in recent years. The Swedish sensation captured the Vezina Trophy last season as the NHL’s top goalie after leading the league with a sparkling 1.89 GAA and .938 save percentage.
While the full extent and timeline of Ullmark’s injury remains unclear, his unavailability for the foreseeable future creates a gaping hole in the Senators’ lineup. The team must now turn to backup Joonas Korpisalo, who came over from Boston in the same trade, to handle the bulk of the workload between the pipes.
Senators’ Crease Conundrum
Korpisalo, who has appeared in just 8 games this season, will be thrust into the spotlight as Ottawa’s de facto starter for the time being. The 29-year-old Finn owns a career 2.88 GAA and .906 save percentage over 201 NHL contests. While a capable netminder, Korpisalo does not possess the same game-changing ability as a healthy Ullmark.
With Ullmark on the shelf, the Senators also find themselves perilously thin at the goaltending position. Behind Korpisalo on the depth chart sits unproven prospects Kevin Mandolese and Mads Sogaard, neither of whom have made their NHL debuts. Ottawa may need to explore external options to shore up their crease in the interim.
Silver Linings for the Sens
Although losing Ullmark for any amount of time is undoubtedly a setback, the Senators can take solace in a few silver linings. First and foremost, the injury is not believed to be season-ending, meaning Ottawa should get their star stopper back at some point. Additionally, the Sens have been playing solid hockey of late, with a 6-3-1 record over their last 10 games, a span during which they averaged 3.6 goals per game.
Led by talented forwards like Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, and Claude Giroux, the Senators possess the firepower to outscore opponents on many nights, somewhat offsetting Ullmark’s absence. With a record of 17-14-3, Ottawa currently sits just outside a playoff spot in the competitive Atlantic Division. Navigating this stretch without their starting goalie will test the team’s depth and resolve.
“Linus has been our backbone on the ice and a leader in the locker room. You never want to lose a player of that caliber, but we have confidence in Joonas and the rest of our group to step up in his absence. We’ll take things day-by-day and continue battling for every point until Linus is ready to return.”
– Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk
The Road Ahead for the Senators
As the Senators prepare for life without Ullmark, their schedule does them no favors. Ottawa kicks off a daunting five-game road trip on Tuesday in Dallas, before making stops in Nashville, Las Vegas, Colorado, and Minnesota. That gauntlet features several formidable offenses that will surely test Korpisalo and the Sens’ defensive structure.
Coming out of that trip in a respectable position will be crucial for Ottawa’s playoff hopes. With the All-Star break and a welcomed stretch of home games on the horizon, the Senators must tread water in the short term to keep their postseason aspirations afloat until Ullmark can return to man the crease.
- Key Storylines to Watch:
- How will Joonas Korpisalo fare as the Senators’ primary starter?
- Can Ottawa maintain its playoff positioning without Ullmark?
- Will the Sens explore the trade market for goaltending reinforcements?
- Ullmark’s recovery timeline and potential return date
The loss of a world-class goaltender like Linus Ullmark is never easy to overcome, especially for a team in the thick of a playoff race. However, the Ottawa Senators have little choice but to soldier on without their star netminder for the foreseeable future. With a mix of offensive firepower, defensive discipline, and timely contributions from Joonas Korpisalo, the Sens will look to weather this storm until Ullmark can reclaim his spot between the pipes.
