One-on-one: Senators GM Steve Staios on playoffs, Linus Ullmark and facing the Hurricanes

Article content

To make matters worse, Staios and the Senators were forced to issue a statement on Jan. 8, before a game against the Colorado Avalanche on the road, to address social media posts regarding the circumstances surrounding Ullmark’s leave of absence from the club.

Article content

“Our organization was extremely disappointed to read the completely fabricated and false stories that are spreading around social media about our hockey club,” Staios said in the statement.

Article content

“Linus is away from our team for personal reasons, and he has the entire organization’s support. We asked that people respect his privacy, but clearly that request was not heard by the lowest forms of trolls and sick people who scour the internet.

Article content

“We are disgusted that outside forces are attempting to disrupt our hockey club. This statement will put an end to the ridiculous speculation that has spread online.”

Article content

The Senators were given a hard time publicly and privately for making the statement because many felt it brought more attention to the allegations that were being made in the social media posts.

Article content

The Ottawa Senators’ season got rocky when Linus Ullmark took a leave of absence, but since the Olympic break ended the club’s No. 1 goalie has posted a 12-4-3 record. Photo by JASON MOWRY /GETTY IMAGES

Article content

Staios noted he’d do it again if he had to because he needed to send a message, not just to Ullmark, but to the rest of the players in the club’s room that the organization has their backs, even when times get difficult.

Article content

Article content

Team owner Michael Andlauer takes a similar approach when necessary.

Article content

“I have no regrets about the statement. I think that it was I felt like we needed a strong statement at that time in light of the temperature that was out there,” Staios said. “Internally, the players know that I don’t typically have to put out statements, but they know that we’re there to support.

Article content

“Michael Andlauer and I worked together before in another league, and that hasn’t wavered. We build teams, and we build cultures, and he’s built his business the same way.”

Article content

Ullmark was chosen as the the Senators’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, by the local chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.

Article content

Staios believes that Ullmark going public with his battle will assist other athletes.

Article content

“The situation that Linus brought to light, I would suggest that many athletes are dealing with it, but no one’s been as transparent as Linus,” Staios said. “So when you look around the league, players that are either missing time or dealing with it internally, it’s there. It’s part of the pressures of this next generation and how things, you know, are evolving with our sport.

Article content

Article content

“And I have to be mindful as a manager of that, and I do believe that. I do believe that the culture that we’ve created has helped us get through these times of adversity. Players know we support them. We have a supportive culture. We have a very close team. The comments from some of the players that have come out about how tight they are, I think, are a testament to our culture.”

Article content

Didn’t overreact

Article content

Staios didn’t know when Ullmark would return after he took the break, but he was confident that he would come back at some point. The Senators signed veteran goalie James Reimer, 38, during a 7-1 loss to the Avalanche and brought him in to help stabilize the net.

Article content

The Senators didn’t want to overreact by going out to trade for a No. 1 goaltender. Hockey operations felt that when Ullmark did return, he’d be in a good place and ready for the challenge of trying to get the Senators back into the playoff race.

Article content

Since the Olympic break ended, Ullmark has posted a 12-4-3 record in 19 games with a .902 save percentage and a 2.51 goals-against average. That’s the best stretch of hockey he has played all season, providing the type of goaltending that led Staios to acquire him from the Boston Bruins in June 2024.