The Ottawa Senators are going to have to manage without Linus Ullmark for at least the next week or two.
TSN’s Claire Hanna reported that the goaltender is dealing with a lower-body ailment, and the Senators moved him to injured reserve on Thursday. That’s a tough blow for Ottawa considering how sharp Ullmark has been out of the gate.
In eight appearances, he has gone 7-1-0 with a .945 save percentage and a 1.33 goals-against average. MoneyPuck has him second in Goals Saved Above Expected at 8.4, trailing only Jake Oettinger at 10.4.
With Ullmark sidelined, Ottawa will turn to Samuel Ersson and Jonas Johansson. Ersson is the only one of the two who has already seen action for the Senators this season, and his numbers haven’t been nearly as strong: a 0-3-0 record in three games, along with a .835 save percentage and a 4.59 GAA.
There is at least some better news on Ottawa’s injury front. Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Citizen reported earlier today that captain Thomas Chabot will travel with the Senators on their upcoming road trip.
Chabot has been out since the club’s Oct. 17 game against the Philadelphia Flyers because of an upper-body injury. Through nine games this season, the veteran defenseman has one goal and five points.
In Tampa Bay, the Lightning announced before tonight’s game against the Utah Mammoth that Victor Hedman would not play because of a lower-body injury. The setback does not seem to be a long-term concern for the captain. Hedman exited Tampa Bay’s most recent game after only one shift in the second period.
In Other News...
Jon Cooper Keeps Building One Of Tampa Bays Best Traditions
Jon Coopers annual summer gathering has become one of those Tampa Bay traditions that reaches well beyond hockey. The ninth edition of Coops Catch for Kids brought together his family, players and supporters for a fishing tournament with a bigger purpose, continuing a drive that has tied the Lightning coach to pediatric cancer research and patient services in a very visible way.
The event also served as another reminder of how deeply Cooper has woven himself into the community around the team. While he reflected on that role and on some of the recent honors that have come his way, the tournament once again underscored why this has become such a meaningful annual stop for so many people connected to Tampa Bay. [Read more 🡒]
Lightning Fans Have A New Reason To Believe In This Core
Tampa Bay has spent the opening stretch of the season looking like a team that still belongs in the leagues top tier, and the early returns have given its fans plenty of reason to feel encouraged. The Lightning have leaned on the familiar backbone of Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Victor Hedman and Andrei Vasilevskiy, the kind of established core that can keep a club competitive even when the calendar is still young.
What makes the picture even more interesting is how much room this group still has to climb in the Atlantic Division. With a run of upcoming home games ahead, Tampa Bay has a chance to keep building on its solid start and turn that steady play into something more durable. If the core keeps performing at this level, the Lightning will only look more like a team that can stay in the hunt deep into the season. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Prospects Are Giving Syracuse Hope During A Shaky Start
A busy stretch left the Syracuse Crunch with more questions than answers, but there were at least a few encouraging signs mixed into the early-season wobble. Playing three games in five days, Syracuse fell to Laval and Rochester before bouncing back with a win over Lehigh Valley, and the week offered a glimpse of who might be able to steady the group while it sorts itself out.
Ethan Gauthier was among the notable names, helping drive the offense, while Jakob Pelletier and Brendan Furry also chipped in key goals and points. Even with that brief lift, the Crunch are still sitting fifth in the North Division and looking for more consistency as they turn toward their next matchup with Hamilton on Oct. 30. [Read more 🡒]