Team Sweden Monitoring Senators’ Goalie Injury

It's unclear if Ottawa Senators' star goalie will be ready to represent Team Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Dec 22, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) gets ready to face a shot against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Dec 22, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) gets ready to face a shot against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images / Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
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The Ottawa Senators surprised the NHL when a hot streak in December landed them squarely in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Senators have gone 2-3-1 through six games of January, but they’ve been without starting goalie Linus Ullmark.

The 2023 Vezina Trophy-winning goalie has been out of the Senators lineup since before the Christmas break with a back injury. While there is hope Ullmark will return to game action soon, it’s a situation that his native country is keeping a close eye on.

Team Sweden listed Ullmark as one of their three goalies heading to the 4 Nations Face-Off next month, but this injury may force a change of plans.

“We know he’s been on the ice, but he’s yet to practice with the main group,” Darren Dreger said on TSN's Insider Trading. “The Swedes are in good hands from a goaltending perspective… but they’d like to bring Linus Ullmark along for the ride.”

Dreger says that all of the teams involved in the 4 Nations Face-Off are monitoring injury situations and preparing for possible lineup changes.

“It’s just a day-by-day monitoring process for all the management groups,” Dreger said.

The 4 Nations Face-Off is just under a month away and Ullmark hasn’t seen game action since December 22. If he is unable to return to full health, Team Sweden will have to look for a new name to join them at the tournament.

Jacob Markstrom of the New Jersey Devils and Filip Gustavsson of the Minnesota Wild are the other two netminders ready to represent Sweden, but Ullmark’s status remains in the air.

If Ullmark is unable to make it to the tournament, Team Sweden will likely look into Sam Ersson of the Philadelphia Flyers, Jonas Johansson of the Tampa Bay Lightning, or even Ullmark’s Senators teammate Anton Forsberg.

In 23 games played this season, Ullmark holds a 12-7-2 record with a .915 save percentage and 2.38 goals against average.

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