The Ottawa Senators are getting a major piece back Thursday night.
After the team’s morning skate, it was confirmed that goaltender Linus Ullmark has been activated from injured reserve and will start against the Colorado Avalanche as Ottawa hosts them in the nation’s capital.
Ullmark has been out for the last nine games because of a lower-body injury he suffered on Oct. 21 against the Florida Panthers. Ottawa put him on IR soon after, and Samuel Ersson handled the crease during the absence. The Senators managed to stay afloat without him, going 4-3-2 after a loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night, but they still remain in the thick of the race for a Stanley Cup Playoff spot.
That said, Ullmark’s return gives Ottawa a real boost. He has been excellent in limited work this season, going 7-1-0 in eight starts with a 1.33 goals-against average and a .945 save percentage.
His only defeat came against the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 17.
For Senators fans, the injury concern around Ullmark has become a familiar storyline since he was acquired by Ottawa in 2024. He has played at least more than half of the games in each of his first two seasons with the club, but he has also spent time on the injured list and took a personal leave of absence last season. He already missed one game earlier this year after an injury against the Boston Bruins, and when he’s healthy, few players have had a bigger effect on the Senators than he has.
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Senators Need Linus Ullmark Now More Than Ever
The Senators have spent much of this season managing one injury after another, and the latest setback only adds to the strain on a roster trying to stay afloat in a crowded Eastern Conference race. Nick Cousins is the newest name on the list, joining a group that has already included William Eklund, Andre Burakovsky and Warren Foegele, even as Ottawa has kept itself in the mix with an 11-6-2 record.
For a team leaning on depth and resilience, the timing could hardly be more important with Linus Ullmark returning to the crease. Ottawa has needed steady goaltending to survive the attrition, and now it gets a chance to see whether its No. 1 can help stabilize things as the injuries continue to pile up around him. [Read more 🡒]