Linus Ullmark Returns with Poise, Power and Perspective in Senators’ Win Over Devils
OTTAWA - This one was bigger than hockey.
When Linus Ullmark stepped between the pipes Saturday night at Canadian Tire Centre, it wasn’t just about stopping pucks. It was about stepping back into the game-and into the spotlight-on his own terms. After taking a personal leave in late December to address mental health challenges, the 32-year-old goaltender returned to the crease with a performance that was equal parts sharp, steady, and deeply human.
Ullmark stopped 26 of 27 shots in a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils, anchoring a gritty effort from the Ottawa Senators and reminding everyone why he’s one of the league’s most reliable netminders. But beyond the numbers, this night was about presence.
About resilience. About a player who’s done the work off the ice and showed up ready to battle on it.
“It felt like I’ve been gone for so long that there was an excitement,” Ullmark said postgame. “I was nervous, which I haven’t been in a long time, and that’s positive.”
That kind of candor is rare-and powerful. Ullmark’s last appearance came on December 27 against Toronto, a game he later revealed was clouded by anxiety.
The next day, he stepped away from the team. Since then, he’s been open about prioritizing his mental well-being, and his return was carefully paced.
He eased back into practices, traveled with the team, served as backup for two games, and only stepped back into the starter’s crease when he felt ready.
Saturday morning, the Senators announced he’d get the nod. By puck drop, a packed house was ready to welcome him back-with signs, cheers, and a standing ovation as he skated onto the ice.
Even referee Justin Kee took a moment early in the game to offer a few supportive words. Kee and Ullmark go back to their days in the AHL with Rochester, and the gesture clearly meant something.
At the final horn, Ullmark’s teammates lined up to congratulate him, and the emotion was palpable.
“At the end there, also during the lineup, it was really hard holding it together,” Ullmark admitted. “And I didn’t want to hold it together, also.
It’s one of the things that I’ve been working on is just letting the feelings flow a little bit. There’s nothing bad about that, in a way.”
It’s a sentiment that resonated throughout the locker room.
“He showed right away, right from that first shift, first shot that he was going to be rock solid,” said captain Brady Tkachuk. “That’s why he’s one of the best goalies in the league.
That was pretty amazing to see. To see the support for him and see how much we missed him out there-it was great.
It was a great experience.”
Head coach Travis Green echoed the praise, calling it one of Ullmark’s best performances of the season.
“Very focused, aggressive,” Green said. “I thought he was excellent.”
Green also acknowledged the bigger picture. He emphasized that the organization’s priority was Ullmark’s well-being, making sure the veteran returned only when he felt truly ready.
Ullmark now sits at 15-8-5 on the season, but that stat barely scratches the surface of what this game represented. This wasn’t about padding the win column-it was about reclaiming space, both mentally and physically, in a game that demands so much of both.
“There’s never really a perfect game to come back,” Ullmark said. “It could be, but it’s almost like a little bit of a ripping the Band-Aid off. You’re going to have to try it out and see how it goes.
“And I felt like I was in a good enough place where I felt confident in my game. I felt confident in my physical abilities to go out there and perform.”
He did more than perform. He inspired.
In a league that often celebrates toughness in terms of blocked shots and big hits, Ullmark reminded us that real strength sometimes comes from vulnerability, from stepping back in order to move forward.
On Saturday night, he did just that-with poise, power, and perspective.