Injury Opens Door for Senators Goalie Trade

The Ottawa Senators may have to test the goalie market as they wait for their star goalie to return from an uncertain injury.

Dec 19, 2024; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) celebrates after defeating Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images / Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

The Ottawa Senators have been without star goalie Linus Ullmark since late December, and it’s still not totally clear when their Vezina Trophy-winning goalie will be able to return. Senators head coach Travis Green noted that Ullmark is making improvements, but he hasn’t skated yet since suffering a back injury.

It seems likely Ullmark will be away from the Senators lineup on a week-to-week basis, making a tough road ahead for a team that just got back into the playoff picture. They currently hold a 19-17-2 record, and are just one point out of an Eastern Conference wild card spot.

Heading into the last game Ullmark appeared in, the Senators were 10-2-1 with a six-game winning streak. They rocketed up the standings and took firm grasp of playoff positioning. In the five games since Ullmark’s injury, the Senators have just one win.

With uncertainty around the Ullmark’s injury, the crew on the 32 Thoughts Podcast pondered if the Senators would hunt for a goalie on the trade market.

There have been a few goalie trades across the NHL already this season, slimming the options if this is the direction the Senators decide to go in. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman opened up a bit on other reasons why it might be tough for the Senators to hunt for a new netminder.

“We’ve already had a couple of goalie trades,” Friedman said. “How many goalies are even available now? The second thing you’re looking at is, how many teams are still in the race that are not going to want to help you. And the third thing you’re looking at is… they’re saying we need three guys.”

These days, it’s common for teams to have three reliable netminders that can perform at the NHL level in moment’s notice. The Senators have Anton Forsberg playing being Ullmark, but after that it’s been disappointing.

22-year-old Leevi Merilainen is the current backup with a 2-2-0 record, .884 save percentage, and 3.10 goals against average.

Mads Sogaard was supposed to be the Senators goalie of the future, but he’s dropped the ball this year. In just two games in the NHL he’s 1-1-0 with a .800 save percentage and 5.24 goals against average.

Are there options for the Senators on the trade market?

“Your whole thing that you’re trying to do right now is stabilize your net” Elliotte Friedman said. “Are you going to go get someone else that can’t stay healthy?”

Friedman was tossing the idea around of the Senators looking for a trade with the Anaheim Ducks for John Gibson, but his own injuries may be an issue. Not just ailments, but the price tag might be too high for the Senators to even consider someone like Gibson.

The Senators might be stuck between a rock and a hard place. They’re in the race, but might be in need of another goalie option, with no one looking like a perfect fit.

Friedman bounced around names like Gibson, Petr Mrazek, and one of the names currently playing with the San Jose Sharks like Vitek Vanecek or Alexandar Georgiev.

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