The Senators are making moves in the crease again, recalling goaltender Mads Søgaard from AHL Belleville ahead of a back-to-back set at home. To clear room on the roster, they’ve placed veteran winger David Perron on injured reserve. Perron is expected to miss five to seven weeks after undergoing surgery to address a sports hernia - a tough blow for a team that’s already been navigating a season full of lineup shuffles.
But this recall isn’t your standard goalie carousel. Ottawa has spent much of the year rotating depth netminders to back up Linus Ullmark - or more recently, James Reimer, who was signed as a free agent while Ullmark remains on personal leave.
This time, though, the Senators are opting to carry three goaltenders. Why?
A winter storm is bearing down on the Eastern seaboard, and with games on back-to-back nights, the team’s trying to avoid a worst-case scenario where weather delays could leave them short between the pipes.
So while Hunter Shepard will remain Reimer’s backup for now, Søgaard is back in the mix as insurance - just in case the storm throws a wrench into things.
This marks Søgaard’s third call-up of the season. He was on the bench behind Ullmark during an overtime loss to the Oilers back on October 21 and suited up for a pair of games earlier this month.
His most recent NHL action came on January 8 against Colorado, when he entered a rough one in relief of Leevi Merilainen. Søgaard gave up five goals on 16 shots that night, finishing with a .688 save percentage and a 17.22 goals-against average - a stat line that doesn’t need much explaining.
It’s been a tough season for Søgaard, no question. And he’s not alone.
Goaltending has been a sore spot across the board for the Senators, whether in Ottawa or down in Belleville. In 18 AHL appearances this season, Søgaard has posted a .889 save percentage, a 4-8-4 record, and a 3.30 goals-against average.
He does have one shutout to his name, but the numbers paint a picture of a young goalie still searching for consistency.
Now 25, the towering 6-foot-7 Dane was the third netminder selected in the 2019 NHL Draft, behind Spencer Knight and Pyotr Kochetkov. While those two have carved out more stable NHL roles, Søgaard’s path has been bumpier. Through 30 games with the Senators since his debut five years ago, he holds an 11-11-3 record with a .875 save percentage and a 3.70 GAA - numbers that suggest he’s still trying to find his footing at the top level.
Still, there’s a silver lining for Søgaard. He’ll be heading to Italy next month to represent Denmark at the Olympics, joining teammate Lars Eller on the national squad. It’ll be his second time suiting up for Denmark in a non-qualifying tournament, having previously served as a backup at the 2021 World Championship.
So while the road in Ottawa remains uncertain, Søgaard will have another chance to showcase his skills on the international stage - and maybe, just maybe, build some momentum heading into the second half of the season.