Linus Ullmark knows he has to be better in net for the Ottawa Senators.
Ullmark, who is in the first season of a four-year, $33 million contract extension with an AAV of $8.25 million, is off to a rough start this season.
The 32-year-old is 5-4-2 in 11 games so far, but has an .861 save percentage and 3.41 goals-against average.
Of the 17 goaltenders with at least 10 appearances this season, Ullmark has the worst GAA and the second-worst save percentage (St. Louis’s Jordan Binnington is at .859).
Overall, he is 65th in save percentage and 58th in GAA.
On Wednesday after practice, Ullmark expressed his frustration with the criticism he has faced in the wake of his start.
“I can’t say it here,” Ullmark said to Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. “There are so many things I’d like to say to all the people, all the doubters, all the so-called ‘experts’, that I can’t say to the media.
“It is what it is. Everybody has a right to their own opinion, but the only opinions that matter are the people around me that I do care about and my coaches. What everybody else says, they’re entitled to say whatever they want because I don’t give two s—s about it.”
Before arriving in Ottawa via trade in June of 2024, Ullmark enjoyed three strong seasons with the Boston Bruns, forming a strong tandem with Jeremy Swayman. In 2023, he captured the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s best goaltender and took home the William M. Jennings Trophy with Swayman.
In his first year with the Senators in 2024-25, Ullmark missed 18 games with a back injury but when he did play, he went 25-14-3 with a .910 save percentage with a 2.70 GAA.
Ullmark says he and Sens goalie coach Justin Peters have spent a lot of time together talking with focus on the mental side of the game.
“It’s a very peculiar thing that we’re doing out on the ice. It’s a lot of mental strength, a lot of mental things. Some days, things aren’t going the way that you want them to. Then, you’ve got to stay level-headed, not get too ahead of it, and not get too frustrated,” Ullmark said.