If you look at the Ottawa Senators’ roster on paper, you see a lineup built to compete. There is high-end skill up front, a burgeoning defensive core, and a general sense that the rebuild should be firmly in the rear-view mirror. Yet, a glance at the Atlantic Division standings tells a starkly different story.
The Senators are languishing at the bottom of the division with a 23-20-7 record. While it’s easy to point fingers at defensive breakdowns or special teams struggles, the reality in Ottawa is far more specific and significantly more fragile. The team is currently navigating a goaltending crisis that has not only cost them points but may cost them the season.
To understand how Ottawa arrived here, we have to look beyond the save percentages and goals-against averages (GAA). We have to look at the human element, the pressure of expectations, and the scramble for stability in the most important position in hockey.
The Void Left by Ullmark
The primary domino in this chain reaction fell in late December. Linus Ullmark, brought in to be the backbone of this team, took an indefinite leave of absence to enter the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.
This wasn’t a groin strain or a nagging hip issue; it was a mental health crisis. Ullmark bravely revealed that he began experiencing severe anxiety and panic attacks during a Dec. 27 game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. For a goaltender—a position that requires a fortress-like mental state—this is a debilitating hurdle.
The situation was then compounded by the uglier side of the modern sports landscape. Social media became a breeding ground for fabricated and false rumours regarding Ullmark’s personal life and his standing within the team. It got to the point where the organization and Ullmark himself had to address the noise, and while his teammates fiercely defended him, the distraction was undeniable.
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With Ullmark on the non-roster list and no timetable for his return, the Senators lost more than just their starter; they lost their certainty.
A Young Netminder Thrown to the Wolves
In the wake of Ullmark’s departure, the crease fell to 23-year-old Leevi Merilainen. In an ideal world, a young prospect gets spot starts to build confidence. In Ottawa’s current reality, Merilainen was thrust into the starter’s role while the team was desperate for wins.
The results were, predictably, volatile. Over 20 appearances, Merilainen has an .860 save percentage and a goals-against average north of 3.50. Those numbers make it nearly impossible for a team to win consistently in the NHL. You simply cannot ask your offense to score four goals every night just to have a chance.
The experiment hit its low point during a loss to the Montreal Canadiens, where the young netminder stopped only 13 of 19 shots. That is a save percentage of .684. At that level, the game becomes unmanageable for the skaters in front of him. The coaching staff had seen enough, and Merilainen was subsequently sent back to the American Hockey League (AHL) Belleville Senators. It was a necessary move to let the kid hit the reset button, but the damage to the Senators’ standings was already done.
Frustration Boils Over
When a team loses because the puck won’t stay out of the net, frustration is inevitable. Usually, players stick to the standard media scripts—”we need to be better in front of him,” or “we win and lose as a team.”
However, the tension in Ottawa finally snapped publicly. Following the particularly rough loss to Montreal, star defenseman Jake Sanderson didn’t mince words with reporters, stating plainly, “You’ve got to make more than 10 saves to win a game.”
It was a rare moment of raw emotion that highlighted just how much the goaltending struggles were wearing on the skaters. While Sanderson later walked back the comments, apologizing and admitting he was “embarrassed” because “you don’t tear each other down,” the outburst revealed the fractures forming in the room. When the defense feels they have no margin for error, they play tight, they play scared, and the structure collapses.
The Veteran Band-Aid
Recognizing that the status quo was untenable, the front office made a move to stop the bleeding. On Jan. 12, they signed 37-year-old veteran James Reimer, and a week later, recalled Hunter Shepard to serve as the backup.
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This is a classic stabilization play. Reimer isn’t the goaltender he was a decade ago, but he is a known quantity. He has taken over starting duties and, as analyst Cheryl Pounder noted, he provides goaltending that at least “gives them a chance to win.”
That phrase—”a chance to win”—is key. The Senators don’t need Reimer to steal games; they just need him to make the routine saves so the offense can do its job. However, relying on a 37-year-old and a backup with limited NHL experience (Shepard holds a 3.88 GAA in his short tenure) is a short-term patch, not a long-term solution.
The Tactical Pivot
The instability in the crease has forced the coaching staff to alter their approach. When you are surrendering 3.38 goals per game—the fourth-highest average in the league—you have to try to tighten the screws.
Head coach Travis Green has attempted to shake things up, specifically on the penalty kill. Assistant coach Mike Yeo has replaced Nolan Baumgartner as the lead voice for the PK unit. The hope is that a “new voice” will provide a spark, but tactical shifts can only do so much if the final line of defense falters.
Green insists the team is still “battling” and playing good hockey outside the crease. Looking at the possession metrics, he has a point. But in the NHL, you can dominate the neutral zone and cycle the puck all night, but if you let in a soft goal every ten shots, you aren’t making the playoffs.
The Senators are currently fighting two battles: one against their opponents, and one against their own psychology. Until the crease stabilizes—whether through Reimer’s veteran presence or an eventual Ullmark return—Ottawa faces an uphill climb to salvage a season that is quickly slipping away.
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