GARRIOCH: Linus Ullmark settles into his new home with the Ottawa Senators

Published Sep 19, 2024  •  7 minute read

Goalie Linus Ullmark is excited to get the opportunity to be the No. 1 goalie for the Senators this season. Photo by TONY CALDWELL /Postmedia Network

Linus Ullmark is making himself at home in his new home.

The Ottawa Senators biggest acquisition in the off-season started the road to trying to help this club return to the playoffs for the first time since 2017 when Ullmark made his debut in the net Thursday.

Acquired from the Boston Bruins in the off-season, the 30-year-old Ullmark was wearing his shiny new Ottawa goalie equipment as Day 1 of training camp got under way at the Canadian Tire Centre.

Article content

“It felt great out there,” Ullmark said. “I was excited. It’s nice to get it started. It has been a long road ever since the trade. Getting out there, getting the rhythm, the speed and it’s a feeling like now we’re talking, we’re back in business and it’s a nice feeling.”

Traded to the Senators only 30 minutes before Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final in June, Ullmark has made himself comfortable in the city. He was able to get to know it when he visited Ottawa in July and has setted into the home he purchased for his family.

After spending three years with the Bruins, Ullmark has gone from a team that contends for Cup every spring, to one that just wants to make the next step in its maturity by getting back to the post-season.

Ullmark understands he has set the example.

“I have to show them how it has to be done every single day and not just same days,” Ullmark said. “It’s a long road ahead of us. You can’t just play for 25 games, you’ve got to play for 82 (games).

“When the dog days come around 56 games into the season, and you’re gone on a road trip for nine days, and you’re going on a back-to-back in Western Canada or whatever it may be, those are the games that you need to win. It’s all about making steps and becoming the better team after every 20 games or so.

Article content

Article content

“You have to put the effort into being the best team you can be come playoff time.”

It’s about consistency.

“It’s one thing if you’re doing the same thing over and over again and it’s just insanity, especially when it’s not working,” Ullmark said. “But if you’re doing the right things, and you come in here with win-the-day mentality every day that we’ve been talking about, a lot more good things will come out of it than bad.

“That’s what we have to do, and we have to be able to put pressure on each other, and on ourselves, to become better at everything we’re going to do as a group. When the season starts, there’s no pettiness or whatever when you lose a game, you move onto the next one. You keep doing that and you try building on that by winning more games than losing.”

Of course, it was also the first opportunity see head coach Travis Green at the helm as he turns the page to his on-ice role.

“It was great to get on the ice. It always is at this time of year, but I think for me personally to just get out there with a lot of players I’ve watched on video or on the other bench, it was a good day one,” Green said.

Article content

“I wanted to set the tone a bit. Get some good (repetitions) in, get some teaching in and some video sessions. I thought the pace was good and so was the compete.”

CAPTAIN’S NEW ROLE

Brady Tkachuk wore a wide smile as he spoke with the media.

Leaving his New Jersey home wasn’t easy Wednesday night after his wife, Emma, gave birth to the couple’s first child, but duty called for the captain with camp shifting into high gear.

Ryder Keith Tkachuk was born July 16 and his dad couldn’t be happier to welcome a new family member into the home.

“First, and foremost, it’s been unbelievable,” Tkachuk said. “Emma was a trooper throughout the whole process. I know it was a bit longer than we both expected, but she was amazing.

“It’s really hard to describe. Leaving yesterday tough. It’s amazing, but to be back here with everybody, it’s just a great time of year.”

It was a long off season for Tkachuk, but it’s one he’ll remember fondly, especially with the way it ended. He watched his brother Matthew capture the Cup with the Florida Panthers and saw first-hand what it means.

“I don’t even think excited is the right word to use,” Tkachuk said of his mindset coming into camp. “Starting with Matthew, and seeing what he did, and how many smiles and how much joy he brought to our family, I kind of became addicted to that feeling myself.

Article content

“That’s something I want to provide for my teammates here and my friends and family as well. To start off with that, and the baby makes you realize what’s important and I just want to be somebody (that his son) is proud to look up to and be a good role model for him.”

Ullmark, who has two children and never appears to miss a beat, tried to sum up fatherhood for Tkachuk.

“Oh buddy, it’s a big one. Welcome to the sh-tshow,” Ullmark said only half-jokingly. “That’s what it’s. It’s all love. That’s what it’s because you get to really experience what is important in your life. That’s what it’s.

“Once you have your first kid, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s your second or third or fourth, whenever they show up in your life that’s the best thing that ever happened. I’m very excited to meet them, I’m excited for them and it’s such a blessing to come home as a parent after a game because it doesn’t matter whether you won or lost.”

NORRIS RETURNS

A welcome face on the ice was centre Josh Norris.

The Senators centre had a third surgery on his left shoulder last week after he re-injured himself Feb. 27 against the Nashville Predators and sought a second opinion from Dr. Peter Millett, a well-regarded shoulder specialist based in Vail, Colo.

Article content

He had the procedure in early March and missed the rest of the season. He was a full participant in all the drills Thursday. After a long wait, it was nice for Norris, who scored 35 goals in 66 games during the 2021-22 campaign and had rounded into form when he was injured last season.

“Nice to be out there to get ready to start the season. I feel good,” Norris said. “It was a good summer of training, and it was long summer of training.

“I’ve felt good for a long time now and I’m just happy to be 100% and ready to go here for camp.”

Norris first had the shoulder surgically repaired after he was injured while playing for Team U.S.A. at the 2019 world junior championship. He missed the rest of that season at the University of Michigan and then started his professional career with Belleville.

Norris was out for 16 games during the 2021-22 NHL campaign after he injured the shoulder again in January 2022.

He missed 38 games last season after suffering a shoulder injury in early October. Instead of having surgery, Norris sought several opinions and decided to go the rehab route. He came back, but suited up for only three games before he had another injury in January 2023 and had another procedure, ending his season.

Article content

Norris missed all of training camp last year so this was a step in the right direction.

“I’m in a much better position than I was last year and I’m just happy to get this going,” Norris said.

He didn’t change his training habits, but he shifted his diet and tried to eat healthier.

“I always ate pretty healthy and I took out process foods. I tried eat whole foods and not put any kind of junk into your body. I’ve definitely taken that a lot more serious and I feel good,” Norris said.

THE LAST WORDS

The Senators signed goaltender Dustin Tokarski to a pro tryout Thursday. He was on the ice for the first session with Ullmark. The club needed help in net because prospect Leevi Merilainen suffered a groin injury before last week’s Prospects’ Challenge in Buffalo.

Green said he doesn’t expect Merilainen to be out long. Tokarski was at his home in Humboldt, Saskatchewan when the Senators gave him a call and he was a list the club keeps of candidates available if they needed a goalie.

The 35-year-old Tokarski suited up for 24 games with the American Hockey League’s Rochester Americans. He posted an 11-9-3 record with a 3.32 goals-against average and an .890 save-percentage.

Tokarski, drafted No. 122 overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008. He’s suited up for games Montréal Canadiens, the Anaheim Ducks, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Buffalo Sabres.

He’s recorded a 23-34-12 record with a 3.15 goals against average and a .902 save percentage.

Recommended from Editorial

1. 

   The Ottawa Senators and NCC continue push for a deal at LeBreton Flats

2. 

   SETTING GOALS: "We want to be a that team nobody wants to play in the playoffs" - 67's coach Dave Cameron

[email protected]

Article content