Now that we have looked at the depth chart for the left-wing, right-wing, center, and defense for the Ottawa Senators, it is time to move to the crease and look at the goaltending. Now that the draft, the first wave of free agency, and the development camp are over, the depth chart is taking shape and we have an idea of what the roster will look like.
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With the goaltending, it has been the biggest issue in Ottawa throughout the duration of the rebuild. With a significant amount of turnover, failed projects, and bargain attempts and trades, this is the strongest the goaltending depth has been in a long time.
Senators Goaltending Depth Chart
After trading away Joonas Korpisalo and Kevin Mandolese and acquiring Linus Ullmark, here is the goaltending depth in Ottawa:
Linus Ullmark
After winning the Vezina Trophy in the 2022-23 season, Ullmark took a bit of a step back in his play with the Boston Bruins, which is understandable following the unbelievable season he had. With a .915 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.55 goals against average (GAA), Ullmark still had a strong season when splitting the year with Jeremy Swayman.
Many point to the Bruins’ team defense and much stronger play than the Senators’ as a reason for his success, while others have said he was part of why the Bruins looked so good. When looking at the expected goals against and other metrics, the Senators and Bruins both landed in the middle section of the league, with the Bruins’ number being slightly better.
There has been a defensive issue in Ottawa for a while now, and it is probably true that their play makes goaltenders look worse than they are, which is why so many have struggled with the Senators but did well after leaving. With that being said, allowing a goal on the first or second shot against in a game 22 times last season is inexcusable and the onus is on the goaltenders.
Ullmark is the best goaltender, on paper, that the Senators have had since they brought in 41-year-old Dominik Hasek. He will be the sure-fire starter, and can hopefully help bring the Senators to a much better spot in the standings than they have been over the last seven seasons.
Anton Forsberg
Anton Forsberg‘s career found some life when he joined the Senators organization in the 2020-21 season, and he became a full-time NHL goaltender in the 2021-22 season. His first full season with the Senators was one to remember as he posted a .917 SV% on a weak team. He earned a three-year extension and has fallen to a below-average goaltender since. With that being said, there are a few ways to defend that.
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In the 2022-23 season, Forsberg had an MCL injury in both knees, which ended his season after just 28 games. He dealt with some injuries last season too, but even when healthy, struggled. That was a team-wide problem, and while some of that responsibility certainly falls on Forsberg, now that there has been a fresh set of eyes running the team, the bench, and some improved roster moves, he can step into the crease this season and prove he is still a capable goaltender.
Mads Sogaard
In 27 career NHL games, Sogaard has struggled to post strong numbers, but as a young goaltender, that isn’t something to hold against him. He is always recalled when the team is dealing with injuries and is usually already out of a playoff position.
In the American Hockey League (AHL), Sogaard posted his best season, finishing with a .916 SV% and 2.45 GAA in 32 games and carried an 18-9-3 record. He was the starting goaltender for the Belleville Senators and led them to the playoffs where he posted a .910 SV% in six games.
He is still young and is looked at as the top option in the organization. Having another year or two of strong development in the AHL should lead to Sogaard having a better transition to the NHL than his previous stints have gone.
Leevi Merilainen
After a phenomenal rookie season in the Liiga, Leevi Merilainen signed his entry-level contract and had made his way to the Senators’ organization. With a number of goaltenders in the running for AHL spots, Merilainen played some time in the ECHL as well, and did very good there.
In the AHL, there is still a lot of promise in his play. His first official season was last season, and he posted a .906 SV%, but as a 21-year-old, there is a lot of development to be had in that league. There is a lot of potential with Merilainen, and if he can reach the heights of his play in the Liiga, he could challenge Sogaard as the top prospect sooner rather than later, but he needs to show he can make the transition to the smaller ice surface.
Michael Simpson
The Belleville Senators signed Michael Simpson following the Memorial Cup, and he could be a wildcard in this list. For now, he is just on an AHL contract, but he has a strong resume coming out of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
The 21-year-old goalie is a two-time OHL Champion and has a Wayne Gretzky 99 Award, which is given to the playoff MVP. Over the past two seasons, Simpson has a 58-32-3 record in the regular season and is 31-9-0 in the playoffs. He will likely see time in the ECHL this season, but could certainly see time if there are any injuries to any goaltender ahead of him on this list.
The Senators have two other goalies in the system who have not signed their entry-level contracts yet, with them being Kevin Reidler and Vladimir Nikitin. They aren’t in the Senators organization yet, and that is why they aren’t included in this list.
