The Ottawa Senators announced today, Dec. 28, that goaltender Linus Ullmark will be taking a personal leave of absence.
General manager Steve Staios stated, “Linus has the full support of the organization during this time. Out of respect to Linus, we will not be making any further comment.”
Ullmark has struggled to find consistency this season and is sporting a .881 save percentage (SV%). Despite the overwhelming save percentage, he still carries a 14-8-5 record. Ullmark was pulled from the game on Dec. 27 after allowing four goals on 14 shots.
There has not been, and likely will not be, any indication of the reason for the leave, and speculation won’t help anybody.
For the time being, the Senators will look to Leevi Merilainen to take over the crease and help get the Senators’ season on a steady track.
Merilainen took the reins for a 12-game stint last season, which ultimately ended up being the season-saving stretch they needed at this time last year. While it is unfair to expect a 23-year-old goaltender to save the season twice in a row, it will be a great opportunity for him to show what he is capable of.
So far this season, with a .874 SV%, Merilainen has not met the large expectations he set for himself last season, but with a more consistent starting job, the hope is that he can play big for the time being.
If the Senators have any indication that they will be without their starting goaltender for any significant amount of time, they could look to the trade market and acquire a goaltender to fill in for the time being.
