The Ottawa Senators are in the thick of a brutal stretch, and their goaltending situation has gone from concerning to downright alarming.
Saturday’s 6-5 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens was just the latest chapter in what’s been a rough couple of weeks. And while there were flashes of promise, the issues in net were once again front and center.
Defenseman Jake Sanderson didn’t sugarcoat it postgame, offering a candid assessment of goaltender Leevi Merilainen’s performance: “I think Leevi made some good saves,” Sanderson said. “But I think, at the end of the day, you’ve got to make more than 10 saves to win a game.”
That quote pretty much sums up where things are for Ottawa right now.
Over their last 12 games, the Senators have gone 4-6-2, a skid that’s dragged them to the bottom of the Atlantic Division and second-to-last in the Eastern Conference. Their overall record stands at 22-19-6, but the numbers don’t tell the full story - the goaltending woes have been a major anchor.
With Linus Ullmark away from the team for the past 10 games on personal leave, the Senators have leaned heavily on Merilainen. And the results haven’t been pretty.
Since stepping in, Merilainen has posted a .847 save percentage - fifth-worst among goalies with at least five starts during that span. Dig a little deeper, and the advanced metrics are just as rough: his -6.33 goals saved above expected at 5-on-5 ranks fourth-worst in the league over that stretch.
Saturday’s outing against Montreal was his toughest yet. Merilainen gave up six goals on 19 shots - statistically his worst full-game performance during Ullmark’s absence.
And unfortunately, that wasn’t an outlier. On the season, Merilainen holds an 8-10-1 record with an .860 save percentage, the third-worst among goalies with at least 10 starts.
His -10.22 5v5 GSAx is the lowest in the league. In short, the Senators haven’t just been losing games - they’ve been getting out-goaltended on a nightly basis.
There may be a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Ullmark has returned to practice, which could signal some stability returning between the pipes.
But Ottawa isn’t waiting around. On Monday, the team signed veteran netminder James Reimer to a one-year, $850,000 deal.
Reimer hasn’t suited up for Ottawa yet, but he’s expected to make his debut Sunday against the Detroit Red Wings.
Reimer did get one tune-up game in the AHL while under an AHL contract, though it wasn’t exactly a confidence booster - he allowed six goals on 28 shots. Still, the Senators are hoping that his experience can provide a steadying presence, or at the very least, give them a chance to stay competitive while Ullmark works his way back into game shape.
For Ottawa, the path forward hinges on getting reliable goaltending - whether it’s from Ullmark, Reimer, or Merilainen finding another gear. Because right now, the Senators are a team with pieces in place, but without a dependable last line of defense, they’re stuck in a cycle that’s hard to break.