{"id":733011,"date":"2026-06-12T23:41:21","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T23:41:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/733011\/"},"modified":"2026-06-12T23:41:21","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T23:41:21","slug":"linus-ullmarks-backup-goaltender-is-the-ottawa-senators-biggest-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/733011\/","title":{"rendered":"Linus Ullmark’s Backup Goaltender is the Ottawa Senators’ Biggest Need"},"content":{"rendered":"

We’ve already discussed options for the Ottawa Senators to add to both their forward<\/a> and defence<\/a> corps. While it would be nice to improve in both of these areas, the team’s biggest need by far is a backup goaltender to Linus Ullmark.<\/p>\n

Leevi Meril\u00e4inen posted a 8-3-1 record, three shutouts, and a .925 save percentage in 2024-25, but relying on the 23-year-old to be a full-time backup this past season was always going to be a gamble. None of you will be able to convince me that you predicted he would become the NHL’s worst goaltender in 2025-26 (with an 8-10-1 record and .863 SV%), but there was plenty of room for regression.<\/p>\n

We are virtually guaranteed to see some improvement from Meril\u00e4inen next year, but the Senators are in no position whatsoever to gamble on him again. He’ll either be traded, start in Ottawa as the third goalie, or be placed on waivers for assignment to Belleville, and I suspect a rebuilding team like the Vancouver Canucks or New York Rangers would put in a claim.<\/p>\n

The Senators need to acquire a goalie who can play at least 30 games given Ullmark has never started 50 in a single season. 37-year-old and pending UFA James Reimer, who was signed in January, posted a 7-4-2 record and .886 save percentage, including one shutout. That’s the bar that GM Steve Staios needs to clear, seeing that over 32 games Reimer’s record would scale to 17-10-5, 39 points in the standings, which when combined with Ullmark’s 28-12-8 record scaling to 65 points in 50 games, would bring up a 104-point campaign for Ottawa. <\/p>\n

But that’s assuming Linus repeats his career-worst .891 SV%. If we look at his results from January 31st onwards, after returning from a leave of absence due to struggles with mental health, his record was 14-4-3, and that was with a sustainable .904 save percentage that ranked 15th out of 50 goalies who played at least 10 games in that timeframe, so while he was helping the team, he wasn’t carrying them. <\/p>\n

Over 50 games, that record would get Ottawa to 113 points in the standings, which seems unreasonable at first until you consider what an in-form Linus Ullmark could accomplish on a Top-10 offensive team with the best defence in the league.<\/p>\n

But that starts with supporting him with a capable backup, and I don’t consider Reimer a serious option due to his age and inconsistencies over the last three seasons. Who should Ottawa look at bringing in? <\/p>\n

Keep reading below for my overview of the goaltender market and the Sens’ best available options!<\/p>\n

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