Linus Ullmark played half a game for the Ottawa Senators on Thursday and stopped about as many shots as most netminders face in a game.
It was a pre-season contest, of course, but in his first game action for the Senators, he already showed how he can keep them in a match when the rest of the squad can’t keep the puck out of their own end.
The Ottawa Senators are under extreme pressure to make the Stanley Cup playoffs, and Ullmark will be key to helping them get there. After fans and media heavily scrutinized the Senators’ goaltending last year, the first-year Sens netminder will try to avoid the same and be a difference-maker.
Linus Ullmark Shines as the Ottawa Senators Fall 3-2 in Overtime to the Buffalo Sabres, Big Cuts Expected Today. @TheHockeyNews https://t.co/N4vQo0sejHhttps://t.co/FdNbtA3IZO
— Steve Warne (@SteveWarneMedia) September 27, 2024
That said, it takes a team and an organization to bear responsibility for successes and failures. Ullmark probably isn’t the appropriate scapegoat if things go wrong for Ottawa. He’ll need help from the Senators’ defense corps.
The fact the Sens had the NHL’s fifth-worst goals-against average (3.43) last season wasn’t solely because of now-former Ottawa goalie Joonas Korpisalo and current backup Anton Forsberg. It was in no small part because the Senators’ blueliners were subpar together as a group. And that was with Jakob Chychrun, a veteran who was supposed to make the Sens’ back end better. That didn’t come to pass, and this summer, Chychrun paid the price for it when he was dealt to Washington in a package that included 34-year-old veteran Nick Jensen coming back.
Speaking of Jensen – he’s going to be a crucial component for Ottawa’s defense corps this year. As a right-shot blueliner who averaged 19:38 of ice time for the Capitals last season, Jensen slots into the Senators mix as their second-pair D-man with partner Thomas Chabot. Sens coach Travis Green will be relying greatly on Jensen as a better fit than Chychrun on the right side, but time will tell if he can meet expectations.
Certainly, Ottawa’s other key defensemen – Chabot, Artem Zub and Jake Sanderson – are also going to have to pitch in with strong years, because they have the talent to do so. Senators GM Steve Staios could add some more depth in the form of former Minnesota blueliner Calen Addison, who’s on a PTO, on top of having Jacob Bernard-Docker and Travis Hamonic on the right side. But let’s be real here – if any of them play significant minutes, that means someone else from the ‘D’ corps is either injured or underachieving.
Still No Update on Artem Zub's Injury, Which Could Fuel Further Concerns About the Ottawa Senators' Depth on Defence @TheHockeyNews @GraemeNichols https://t.co/N4vQo0sejH https://t.co/tJTTWLoixZ
— Steve Warne (@SteveWarneMedia) September 27, 2024
The optimistic view for Ottawa is that Ullmark – who could’ve vetoed a trade from Boston to the Senators – looked at the Sens’ all-around depth and decided he could be a part of a winning mix in Canada’s capital. But Ullmark also understands that if things go sideways, he’ll need to bail out his teammates or become the subject of frustration. That’s just part of what it is to be a goalie in hockey’s top league. For better or worse, when things are going your way, you’re a netminding genius, and when things aren’t going your way, it’s all your fault.
The truth of it lies somewhere in the middle of those two poles. You can definitely be a difference-maker as a goalie, and Ullmark has already shown he can do that in his time with the Bruins. But he’s going to need all the help he can get from the guys playing in front of him. And if he doesn’t get that help, the Senators are going to endure another long, agonizing year.
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News Summary:
- Ullmark Can Bail Out The Senators, But He Needs Help From Blueliners To Succeed Long-Term
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