The Senators goaltending is a source of strength, not chaos. Just breakdown the depth chart as a starting point. From there, we shall see that given the Sens overall composition of their organizational depth chart at the goaltending position, it puts them in a position of power. One game where a goalie gets pulled is not the precedent, and the fans need to get on board. In fact, breaking down their games this season, we will show that the goaltenders have been a deciding factor, more often than not. So enjoy, as we analyze the Sens goaltending ranking, from Linus Ullmark, all the way down.
The Ottawa Senators Goaltending Is Their Secret Weapon
Okay, well maybe don’t let their opponents hear you say that. Their number one goaltender, Linus Ullmark, has missed time with injury throughout the course of the 2024-25 season. He’s played in 23 games, and is currently out with a back ailment. However, when he has strapped on the pads, he has been excellent for long stretches. Linus Ullmark has 11 times finished games with a save percentage of .920 or above.
What’s more, is not only has Ullmark missed time, but their incumbent backup has to. Whether it was from injury or questionable play, Anton Forsberg has played 18 games this year. Granted, that number is a fair bit for a backup, but he has missed opportunity for more time with Ullmark missing so much. Forsberg sports a 2.81 GAA, along with an .894 SV%. However, what him missing opportunity has done, is allowed one of their young goalies to prosper.
Senator Goaltenders Forced Into Some Roster Shuffling
A Look Into the Future of the Senators Net
Leevi Merilainen has started his NHL career, as a 22-year-old, very hot. It has been impressive his calmness and demeanour back there in the crease. He’s faced 328 shots thus far in his NHL career, that has spanned parts of this year and last. Overall, a .915 SV% and a 2.44 GAA will win you more games than it will lose. His GSAA would average out to an impressive 23.5 in his career if held for an 82-game stretch. In six of his 11 games this year, he had a .923 SV% or better. So, between these three tendies, the Sens have had strong goaltending performances more often than not.
How Is Linus Ullmark and the Sens When It Comes to Ranking?
| Rank | Team | Name | WAR | GSAx |
| 1.) | WIN | Connor Hellebuyck | 4.59 | 27.5 |
| 2.) | WAS | Logan Thompson | 4.47 | 26.8 |
| 3.) | ANA | Lukas Dostal | 2.84 | 17 |
| 18.) | OTT | Linus Ullmark | 1.53 | 9.2 |
| 23.) | OTT | Leevi Merilainen | 0.98 | 5.9 |
Studying the top-three in the NHL by wins above replacement (WAR), we see how the Sens stack up. Note, this ranking assumes a minimum of ten-games played. So, what we can take away from a Sens perspective is that their goaltenders are good. They certainly aren’t challenging for the lead, but they are among that next tier. What makes it challenging for the goalies, is as a team, the Sens are a bit odd, and can struggle to score. In games where they played in a shutout, their record is 7-5-1 this year.
Needless to say, the Sens are lucky to have a Vezina-calibre goalie at their disposal. Yes, we’ve seen the importance in load management for his personal style. But make no bones about it, when he’s on, he’s every bit the star they pay $8+ million for the next four campaigns. Furthermore, besides Ullmark, Mads Sogaard is the only Sens goalie signed to an NHL contract for next year. Merilainen is a restricted free agent and Forsberg is unrestricted.
The Forgotten Sens Goaltender Prospect
The Senators organization has been very patient with Sogaard. Unfortunately, like this season, injuries have slowed his development. In eight games with the Belleville Senators, he only has an .858 SV% in 2024-25. On the other hand, the Sens haven’t really given him a shot in the NHL. He was forced into action because of other injuries, like in 2022-23, when he played his NHL career-high 19 times. But at this point, we are wondering if Sens management is losing hope.
It does seem for next year, Merilainen has earned a chance at NHL time. Moreover, with Sogaard’s contract status, at some point, he will likely get a shot at a backup role. All this means, is that the Sens are unlikely to sign Forsberg at this point. But hey, anything is possible, right?
Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
