Welcome to the first edition of the Ottawa Senators’ News & Rumors for 2025. In this edition, we look at the injury updates for a number of players, including Linus Ullmark, Michael Amadio, David Perron, Jacob Bernard-Docker, and more. The Senators have really struggled with injuries over the past month, but there have been some positive updates on a number of players. Another update shows that the Senators are looking into the goaltending market, but may come up short.
Linus Ullmark Listed as Week-to-Week
After one of the most dominant months of hockey from a goaltender the Senators have seen since the “Hamburglar” run by Andrew Hammond, Linus Ullmark has been out with a back injury since Dec. 22.
During the month of December, Ullmark earned himself a 7-0-1 record with a .958 save percentage (SV%) and an astounding 1.30 goals against average (GAA). During the Dec. 22 game against the Edmonton Oilers, Ullmark did not come out for the second period, and it was announced that he would not return to the game. Following the holiday break, the team announced that Ullmark would not join the Senators for the remaining five games on the road.
During a team skate, head coach Travis Green spoke to the media, and when asked about Ullmark, he stated “Linus is, I guess we’ll call him week-to-week, and he hasn’t been on the ice yet”.
There didn’t seem to be much certainty behind the answer from Green. Ullmark has been experiencing back tightness, which is the type of injury that is impossible to decipher without inside information. Ullmark did miss time with back-related injuries earlier in his career, but it is unclear whether this is related or not.
The good news is, with Ullmark being listed loosely as week-to-week, he has already missed two weeks. The Senators play eight games in the next two weeks, including two sets of back-to-backs. The Senators have a three-game home stand beginning Jan. 19, and it could be realistic to expect Ullmark back in the lineup around then.
Positive News for Amadio and Perron
The Senators have been without two of their big free agency signings for a little while now, but things are trending in the right direction for both players.
Related: Senators Should Take Advantage of Canucks’ Chaos
Amadio hasn’t played since the Senators’ 5-4 overtime victory against the Vancouver Canucks on Dec. 21. He left the game and was diagnosed with a concussion after a hit from Vincent Desharnais that caught Amadio up high.
Perron, who has had a whirlwind of a start to his Senators career, has only played nine games this season. He missed time at the start of the season to handle some personal family matters, and after a brief return to the team, he would play his most recent game against the Canucks on Nov. 23. Since then, Perron has been out with a back injury.
Both players have been skating with the team, though in non-contact jerseys. They are moving in the right direction and should return to the lineup in the next week or two.
Bernard-Docker and Hamonic Both Suffer Injuries
During the Jan. 3 game against the St. Louis Blues, Travis Hamonic left the game during the first period with an apparent lower-body injury but did return to the lineup for the second period. In the Jan. 5 media conference from Green, he noted that Hamonic will miss a two to four with a knee injury.
Bernard-Docker suffered a lower-body injury during practice on Jan. 6, and needed help off the ice. While there have been no updates at this time, the video posted by TSN’s Claire Hanna shows Bernard-Docker in what appears to be a great deal of pain.
Hamonic and Bernard-Docker have both played a lot of time on the right side of the defense, which is the team’s weakest position as of now. In lieu of their absences, Nikolas Matinpalo has been recalled and is expected to play against the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 7.
Extra Notes
Along with Matinpalo being recalled, the Senators also brought up Jan Jenik, who had a great training camp and has played well in the American Hockey League this season with seven points in 13 games. Jenik skated as an extra at practice, but could certainly earn himself some playing time.
Elsewhere, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch noted that the Senators should be looking at the goaltending market. (from “Ottawa Senators will have to study trade market with Linus Ullmark’s status uncertain.” Ottawa Sun, Jan. 5, 2025).
Garrioch suggests that with Forsberg’s sub-par play extending to the beginning of last season, Sogaard not handling the NHL as well as hoped, and the youthfulness of Leevi Merilainen, the trade market could be where the Senators look to next. With that being said, there aren’t many options out there for goaltenders. With Mackenzie Blackwood, Scott Wedgewood, Alexander Georgiev, and Justus Annunen all having been traded during the season so far, not many options remain.
The Senators are in a tricky spot, especially with the amount of question marks with some of the injuries. They have fallen out of a playoff spot as the Pittsburgh Penguins have taken the second wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference, but the Senators have games in hand on most teams in the conference, especially the ones chasing them down.
