Ullmark carries bulk of Senators’ playoff hopes in net

The Ottawa Senators enter the new season knowing that their chances of ending their playoff drought are closely tied to Linus Ullmark. After a difficult 2025-26 campaign for both the team and its goaltenders, the Swedish netminder sits at the centre of Ottawa’s plan to stabilize a position that repeatedly let them down.

Big bet on Ullmark to solidify Ottawa’s crease

Ottawa traded for Ullmark from the Boston Bruins in the summer of 2024 and immediately committed to him with a four-year, $33-million contract. The expectation was that he would bring long-awaited stability in goal. Instead, he finished last season with a .891 save percentage over 49 appearances, well short of what general manager Steve Staios and the front office were hoping for.

The supporting cast did not provide much relief. Leevi Merilainen, who was claimed on waivers by the Vancouver Canucks on Friday, recorded an .860 save percentage and 3.51 goals-against average in 20 games. Veteran James Reimer, pressed into duty at age 38, finished at .886 in 14 outings. With those results, it was clear the Senators needed to rethink their backup plan behind Ullmark.

Ersson steps in as backup amid lingering questions

The new No. 2 in Ottawa is Samuel Ersson. The former Philadelphia Flyers netminder briefly passed through the Toronto Maple Leafs’ organization this summer before being dealt to the Senators for a fifth-round pick. At 26, he still has room to grow, but his NHL numbers have been moving in the wrong direction: after posting a .899 save percentage from 2020-21 through 2022-23, he dropped to .870 last season.

Some of that slide reflects the realities of backstopping a rebuilding Flyers team, yet it has also limited his reputation as a sure-fire solution. Ullmark has played at least 40 but no more than 49 games in each season since 2020-21, which means Staios and head coach Travis Green will likely need Ersson for around 35 starts or more, especially if injuries arise.

Atlantic Division arms race in goal raises the stakes

The pressure is amplified by what the rest of the Atlantic Division has in net. The Toronto Maple Leafs added two-time Stanley Cup winner Sergei Bobrovsky. The Tampa Bay Lightning still rely on Andrei Vasilevskiy and traded for rising prospect Dennis Hildeby. The Florida Panthers brought in Jacob Markstrom, the Bruins are set with Jeremy Swayman, and the Montreal Canadiens have Jakub Dobes in their pipeline.

At the same time, Ottawa is still working through the challenge of replacing the overall impact of former captain Brady Tkachuk. In that context, even average goaltending may not be enough. If Ullmark can deliver a true rebound season and Ersson provides competent support, the Senators should be able to stay in the playoff conversation. If last year’s trends persist and the backup role remains a weakness, their path to spring hockey could close quickly.