Ottawa Senators’ Season Teeters as Goaltending Crisis Deepens
On paper, the Ottawa Senators look like a team ready to turn the corner. There’s top-tier talent up front, a defense corps that’s starting to come into its own, and a sense that the long rebuild should be in the rearview mirror.
But the standings tell a different story. With a 23-20-7 record, Ottawa finds itself languishing at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, and the root of the problem runs deeper than just defensive lapses or special teams woes.
Right now, the Senators are in the middle of a full-blown goaltending crisis. And it’s not just costing them games-it’s threatening to derail their entire season.
The Ullmark Absence: A Team Without Its Anchor
The chain reaction started in late December when Linus Ullmark, brought in to be the team’s stabilizing force in net, stepped away from the game. His absence wasn’t due to a physical injury-it was a mental health battle.
During a Dec. 27 game against the Maple Leafs, Ullmark began experiencing severe anxiety and panic attacks. For any player, that’s a serious challenge.
For a goaltender, whose role demands constant focus and mental resilience, it’s a mountain to climb.
The fallout extended beyond the ice. As Ullmark entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, social media lit up with speculation and false rumors about his personal life and role in the locker room.
The noise became loud enough that both the organization and Ullmark had to publicly address it. His teammates stood firmly behind him, but the distraction was real.
And with Ullmark on the non-roster list and no timeline for his return, the Senators lost more than just their starting goalie-they lost their sense of certainty.
Leevi Merilainen: A Young Goalie Thrown Into the Fire
In Ullmark’s absence, the Senators turned to 23-year-old Leevi Merilainen. Ideally, a young goalie gets eased into NHL action-spot starts here and there, some time to find his footing. Instead, Merilainen was dropped into a pressure cooker, asked to carry the load for a team desperate for wins.
The results were rocky, as you’d expect from a young netminder still finding his game. Over 20 appearances, Merilainen posted a .860 save percentage and a goals-against average north of 3.50.
Those numbers simply don’t give your team a chance to win consistently. You can’t ask your offense to score four or five goals every night just to stay competitive.
The low point came in a rough outing against the Canadiens, where Merilainen stopped just 13 of 19 shots-a .684 save percentage. At that level, the game becomes unmanageable for the skaters in front of him.
The Senators sent him back to AHL Belleville shortly after, hoping a reset would help. But by then, the standings damage was already done.
Tensions Rise in the Locker Room
When goaltending falters, frustration builds. Most teams stick to the script-talking about playing better in front of the netminder or emphasizing the team aspect of wins and losses. But in Ottawa, the pressure finally boiled over.
After that tough loss to Montreal, star defenseman Jake Sanderson didn’t hold back. “You’ve got to make more than 10 saves to win a game,” he told reporters-an unfiltered moment that spoke volumes about the mood inside the room.
Sanderson later apologized, admitting he was “embarrassed” and that “you don’t tear each other down,” but the comment revealed the strain. When defensemen feel like they have zero margin for error, they start playing tight and tentative. That’s when structure breaks down, and the mistakes start compounding.
Enter the Veteran: James Reimer
Recognizing the need for stability, Ottawa’s front office made a move. On Jan. 12, they signed 37-year-old James Reimer, and a week later, recalled Hunter Shepard to serve as his backup.
This is a classic veteran stopgap play. Reimer isn’t the same goalie he was in his prime, but he’s a known quantity. He’s taken over the starter’s role, and while he’s not expected to steal games, he’s giving the Senators something they’ve sorely lacked: competence in the crease.
As analyst Cheryl Pounder noted, Reimer provides goaltending that at least “gives them a chance to win.” That’s the bar right now-not brilliance, just reliability. But relying on a 37-year-old starter and a backup with limited NHL experience (Shepard’s GAA sits at 3.88) is a patch, not a fix.
Coaching Adjustments and Tactical Shifts
With the goaltending situation in flux, head coach Travis Green has had to make some tactical adjustments. The Senators are allowing 3.38 goals per game-the fourth-highest average in the league-and that’s forced the coaching staff to tighten things up, especially on the penalty kill.
Assistant coach Mike Yeo has taken over the PK unit from Nolan Baumgartner, in hopes that a new voice can spark better results. It’s a necessary move, but there’s only so much a tactical shift can do when the last line of defense remains unstable.
Green insists his team is still “battling” and playing solid hockey outside the crease. And the possession numbers back that up.
But in the NHL, dominating puck control and zone time only gets you so far. If you’re giving up soft goals every ten shots, you’re not going to make the playoffs.
The Bottom Line
Right now, the Senators are fighting two battles: one against their opponents, and one inside their own locker room. The pressure is mounting, and the margin for error is shrinking fast. Until the goaltending situation stabilizes-whether that’s through Reimer holding the fort or Ullmark finding his way back-the Senators are stuck in survival mode.
The roster has the talent to compete. But in this league, everything starts in the crease. And unless Ottawa can find consistency there, this season risks slipping away before it ever really got started.