Macklin Celebrini and Linus Ullmark injuries raise major concern for Sharks, Senators

Two prominent names were added to NHL injury lists on Monday night, as the San Jose Sharks and Ottawa Senators both lost key pieces. Sharks captain Macklin Celebrini was ruled out of his club’s meeting with the Dallas Stars because of a lower-body injury, while Ottawa starter Linus Ullmark departed the Senators’ road game against the Boston Bruins with an undisclosed issue.

San Jose indicated that keeping Celebrini out was a precautionary decision, but his absence was immediately felt. The Sharks struggled badly and were shut out 5–0 by the Stars. Ottawa, meanwhile, still managed a 4–1 victory in Boston, yet there was little sense of relief given how different the Senators have often looked when Ullmark is unavailable.

Celebrini drives the Sharks’ on-ice results

Breaking down the situation Tuesday on Daily Faceoff LIVE, host Tyler Yaremchuk pointed to underlying numbers to illustrate Celebrini’s impact. He noted that at five-on-five last season, the Sharks owned a strong goal differential with their captain on the ice but were heavily outscored when he was on the bench. Early this year, the pattern has been similar: San Jose has basically broken even at even strength with Celebrini, but has stumbled badly without him, including the lopsided defeat against Dallas.

Former NHL netminder Carter Hutton went further, describing Celebrini as central to San Jose’s identity. Without him, Hutton argued, it becomes difficult to recognize what kind of team the Sharks are trying to be, particularly offensively. Monday’s performance, with little sustained pressure and no scoring, reinforced how dependent San Jose is on its captain to drive play and set the tone.

Ullmark’s health shapes the Senators’ ceiling

In Ottawa, the focus is on how tightly the team’s ambitions are tied to Ullmark’s health. Yaremchuk suggested that even a relatively short absence – on the order of a week or two – would force the Senators to lean on Samuel Ersson and would understandably make fans nervous, given how the club has fared in the past when Ullmark has not been in goal.

Hutton echoed that concern, saying Ullmark is closely connected to where the Senators can realistically finish and how consistently they can perform. He pointed to the goaltender’s recent run of time away, from personal leave to injuries, and highlighted how much uncertainty remains around what Ottawa truly has in Ersson if he is asked to carry the load for any length of time.

Both analysts agreed that while the exact timelines for Celebrini and Ullmark are not yet known, any extended spell on the sidelines for either player could significantly alter the course of the Sharks’ and Senators’ seasons.