Ottawa Senators likely won't have Linus Ullmark to lean on against Devils

Coach Travis Green noted Ullmark had skated before everybody else went on the ice and wasn't 100% certain that he wouldn't face the Devils

Published Oct 16, 2024  •  4 minute read

OItawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) makes a save off his jersey on a shot by Florida Panthers centre Anton Lundell. Photo by Justin Tang, The Canadian Press /ott

Who’s starting Thursday night for the Ottawa Senators?

Maybe the best bet is to wait to see who comes down the tunnel.

While top goaltender Linus Ullmark hasn’t been ruled out completely, the chances we’ll see him against the New Jersey Devils sound slim after head coach Travis Green offered a vague update Wednesday following a 37-minute skate at the Canadian Tire Centre.

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After missing Monday’s visit by the Los Angeles Kings with an undisclosed strain, Ullmark wasn’t on the ice with the rest of the players Wednesday. Still, Green noted that Ullmark had skated before everybody else went on the ice and wasn’t 100% certain that he wouldn’t face the Devils.

“Linus skated today. He’s looking good and progressing well,” Green said.

So, are the Senators anticipating he’ll be ready to play New Jersey?

“Anticipation is a great thing,” Green said. “He could be ready, I guess.”

Originally, Green told reporters that Ullmark missed Sunday’s skate because he was taking a maintenance day. But after the club’s wild 8-7 win over the Kings on Thanksgiving Monday, Green said Ullmark had suffered “a strain” and had to get it checked out by the club’s medical staff.

“After the Montreal game, he felt a little strain the next day,” Green said.

It’s still early in the season and the club’s medical staff may want to err on the side of caution where Ullmark’s health is concerned because if Ottawa is going to make the playoffs in the spring, he has to carry a heavy workload once he does return.

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Will he need a practice or two before he returns to the net?

“Good question,” Green added. “We’ll see how tomorrow is. I’m not going to announce my starter (Thursday) if that’s what we’re getting at.”

Based on Green’s answer and the fact that Ullmark hasn’t skated with his teammates since a 4-1 loss in Montreal on Saturday night, it’s safe to assume that Anton Forsberg will start against the Devils and Mads Sogaard will dress as the backup.

While the Senators papered Sogaard and forward Adam Gaudette back to their American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville on Tuesday’s off-day for the club to get their contracts off the books, both were brought back to the Ottawa roster Wednesday morning and were on the ice for practice.

Belleville also recalled goaltender Michael Simpson from its ECHL affiliate in Orlando on Wednesday morning. Belleville doesn’t play until it hosts its home opener Saturday night at the CAA, so that’s a further sign that Sogaard could be in Ottawa until the end of the week.

Should Forsberg start against the Devils, he knows he has to be better.

Pulled after allowing three goals on nine shots against the Kings, Forsberg — who learned he was starting on Sunday night — is pretty good at shaking off bad performances and looking ahead.

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“I’ve been pulled a few times the last couple of years,” Forsberg said. “It’s part of the game. At the end of the day, it’s about going back to your own game. Focus on that. S*** happens and you’ve just got to go with it.”

Given what happened against the Kings, that’s probably the best approach to take because neither Forsberg nor Sogaard were any good. The club allowed seven goals on 26 shots, four of those were on the power play, but the Senators couldn’t get a save when they needed one.

“At 5-on-5, I think our video guys have them at 19-11 (for Ottawa) right now,” Green said. “The power play got a few chances as well and all-around it was a pretty good game. The goalies would probably like to have a few back.”

You would hope because the Senators were able to secure that win without getting any stops when they needed them. That’s why there’s so much concern around here about Ullmark’s status because if he’s out for any length of time, that’s not great news.

But Green said that can’t be a distraction.

“That’s part of the game,” Green said. “Hockey’s a physical game, you have injuries. You’ve got 22 players on the roster that can all play and it’s a next man up (mentality) for whoever goes in the lineup.

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“It’s unfortunate that guys get hurt, but that’s part of the game and it gives an opportunity to someone else.”

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It’s not like Forsberg hasn’t been in this situation before.

“(Monday) didn’t go personally the way I wanted,” Forsberg said. “It’s nice to get another opportunity here to get back in the net and get going. It’s good that we got a win out of it because two points matter. That’s great.

“It’s not like I’m the worst goalie (in the NHL) just because I got pulled from a game. You’ve got to remember that and I’ve just got to get back to my game and play the same way that I finished last year.”

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