The Ottawa Senators’ search for a new starting goaltender has been well-documented this offseason, and after two of the market’s top netminders were moved on Wednesday, the organisation allegedly feels a fresh sense of urgency.
With Jacob Markstrom in New Jersey and Darcy Kuemper in Los Angeles, Senators general manager Steve Staios is “making a hard push” to sign Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark, according to the Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garrioch, who also reports Ottawa has looked into Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros.
“League sources say the Senators have circled back to the Bruins to see if there’s a fit to acquire Ullmark to steady the club’s struggling net, and those talks have intensified,” according to Garrioch. This is the Senators’ second attempt to purchase Ullmark. “The Senators were unable to reach an agreement to acquire him from the Bruins before the March deadline.”
Linus Ullmark will be in high demand during the offseason.
Linus Ullmark will be a wanted man this off-season.
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The Senators’ goalie situation was one of the worst in the NHL in 2023.
Joonas Korpisalo, Anton Forsberg, and Mads Sogaard won only 37 games and had a total save percentage of.888. The three also conceded 22 goals on their first or second shots in the game.
Ottawa was fifth in goals allowed per game (3.43), with 281 goals conceded, the fifth-highest total in the league and the sixth-highest in franchise history.
Adding Ullmark, who won the Vezina Trophy, which is awarded annually to the best goaltender in the NHL, after topping the league in wins (40), save percentage (.938), and goals-against average (1.89) during the 2022 season, would be a coup for the Sens.
The 30-year-old goaltender had a strong season in 2023 (22-10-7, 2.58 GAA,.915 save percentage), but he lost his starting job to Jeremy Swayman, who started 12 of Boston’s 13 playoff games.
His $5 million cap hit in 2024 is reasonable for a player of his calibre.
