The Ottawa Senators are facing more than just a tough season on the ice - they’re dealing with a full-blown off-ice controversy that’s threatening to derail what was supposed to be a pivotal year in their rebuild. And the way the organization has handled the situation surrounding goaltender Linus Ullmark has only added fuel to the fire.
Let’s rewind a bit. Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Senators were expected to take a step forward - possibly even leapfrogging the Canadiens in the Atlantic Division pecking order.
There was real buzz around Ottawa. The roster looked deeper, the young core was maturing, and there was a sense that the rebuild was finally turning the corner.
But fast forward to mid-January, and the Sens find themselves at the bottom of the division standings, while the Canadiens are still in the thick of the playoff race.
Now, it’s not just the on-ice results that are dragging this team down. Since Dec.
29, Ullmark - the team’s No. 1 goaltender - has been away on personal leave. At the time of his departure, he was holding down a respectable 14-8-5 record with a 2.95 goals-against average and a .881 save percentage.
Not elite numbers, but certainly solid enough to keep his team competitive. His absence alone was enough to raise questions, but then things took a sharp turn.
An anonymous social media post began circulating last week, making serious and unverified claims about Ullmark and his relationships within the locker room. The post quickly gained traction online, with Senators fans and hockey circles picking up the story.
It was the kind of rumor mill moment that could’ve - and probably should’ve - been quietly ignored by the organization. Instead, Ottawa’s front office went the opposite direction.
On Jan. 9, the Senators released a strongly worded public statement from President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Steve Staios, flatly denying the rumors and condemning those spreading them. The language wasn’t just firm - it was aggressive, calling the sources “the lowest forms of trolls and sick people who scour the internet.”
It was a rare move in the NHL, where front offices typically prefer to keep things behind closed doors. And it backfired - quickly.
Rather than dousing the flames, the statement poured gasoline on the fire. Suddenly, this wasn’t just a niche online rumor.
It was a national story. Elliotte Friedman broke it down on his 32 Thoughts podcast.
Major outlets across Canada picked it up. And most importantly, it made its way into the Senators’ locker room.
Captain Brady Tkachuk didn’t hold back when asked about the situation, calling it “f-ing bulls-t.”
Ullmark, for his part, returned to the ice on Friday, skating with the team for the first time since his leave began. In the meantime, the Senators signed veteran netminder James Reimer to a one-year deal - a move that adds depth but also raises more questions about how long Ullmark will be part of the picture moving forward.
It’s clear that this situation has become a major distraction. And for a team already struggling to find consistency on the ice, the last thing they needed was an off-ice scandal grabbing headlines.
The Senators are scheduled to face the Canadiens on Saturday at Canadian Tire Centre - a game that means a lot more to Montreal than it does to Ottawa at this point in the standings. The Habs are coming off back-to-back losses and are fighting to stay in the playoff hunt.
For the Sens, it’s another chance to try and right the ship - but the waters are getting choppier by the day.
The bottom line? This was a moment that called for calm leadership and a steady hand.
Instead, the Senators went public with a flamethrower. And in doing so, they turned a difficult situation into a full-blown crisis.