The Ottawa Senators have had massive issues with goaltending this season. That will need to stabilize it moving forward. With only 32 games remaining in their season, the Ottawa Senators chances to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs are dwindling with each passing day. Moreover, there are plenty of reasons that any team ends up in a position like that, but one could argue the biggest culprit has been goaltending.
The Story of the Ottawa Senators Goaltending and 2025-26 Season as a Whole
It has been an issue all season long. In addition, it certainly hit a fever pitch this past week with all that has transpired. Goaltending is the backbone of any team that aspires to win a Stanley Cup and the Senators were certainly hoping for much better than what they’ve received, so far. For this season, which looks like one that’s teetering on disaster for the Senators, they need stability at the position, and they need it now.
Leevi Merilainen’s Struggles
Fortunately, it appears that starter Linus Ullmark’s return to the lineup could come soon, and he is desperately needed. The 32-year-old has certainly been through a lot off-the-ice recently, since being on personal leave. One hopes he is in a better place mentally coming back from it.
To say the goaltending has been poor in his absence is putting it lightly. Backup Leevi Merilainen was called upon to carry the team through this stretch, and he put up a flat-out ugly .843 save percentage in the 10 games he started. He has since been sent down to the AHL’s Belleville Senators, to get some composure.
He filled in quite admirably in that role in 2024-25, but not so much this year. So much so, that it lead to teammate Jake Sanderson calling Merilainen out publicly, which he later apologized for. The frustration was understandable for Sanderson and the team, given they both have produced more than enough offence recently to lead to wins.
What’s telling is that Sanderson is a player who is typically stoic and not one to make inflammatory statements publicly. To show that anger visibly is an acknowledgment that goaltending needs to be better, and that sentiment is pervasive among not just the fanbase, but the players in the dressing room as well.
James Reimer Could be Used as an Option
Merilainen’s play forced the Senators to go out and sign long-time veteran James Reimer in a move that screamed desperation. Through three games, the play has been up and down. In his first game on Sunday night, he stopped 30 of 34 shots, then only gave up one in his second game before allowing five in his third game.
He does have some upside. However, he is 37 and near the end of his career. After all, there is a reason why Reimer had gone unsigned up to this point. He signed a professional tryout with Toronto at the beginning of the season, before eventually being cut. His only bit of game action came as he joined Canada at the Spengler Cup.
In previous years, he has bounced around from team-to-team as a backup. He put up an .896 save percentage last year, which would be a significant upgrade from most of the goaltending the Senators have received this season. He’s essentially been a league average goaltender for the last five years and that is exactly what the Senators need. That is what they are looking for from him.
Of course age is a factor but if the team can insulate him well from a defensive standpoint. Furthermore, he can be a serviceable guy for them that can come in, in spot duty. Let’s not forget, Craig Anderson was 36 when he lead the Senators to the Eastern Conference Final back in 2017.
Ullmark Needs to be Better
Then, there is the significance of Ullmark’s eventual return. Again, hopefully the break has him in a better spot mentally. That being said, what version of Ullmark will we see? For the Senators’ sake, they need him back in tiptop form.
Getting him back should provide a huge confidence boost for the Senators, although he wasn’t exactly having the greatest season before his leave. He has an .881 save percentage through 28 starts, which is by far the worst of his career. However, he was showing signs of rebounding from his tough start right before Christmas.
From December 11th to December 25th, Ullmark put up a .918 save percentage in five games and they will need that version of him to show up if they want to make a push for the playoffs. A prolonged stretch of play like that is not an unreasonable ask from Ullmark. He certainly has the pedigree having won a Vezina Trophy in the past, not to mention the organization forked out a four-year deal at over $8 million per year for him.
The Senators paid Ullmark to carry the mail and this stretch run is the perfect chance for him to do that. It is time for him to match the play of the other stars on the team who have stepped up this season like a Tim Stutzle or a Jake Sanderson. He’s the ultimate X-Factor and if he’s at the top of his game, it changes the ceiling for this Senators season.
Main Photo Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images