There are plenty of rumours and discussion right now as the 2024 NHL Entry Draft and the free agency period hits within the next ten days. Furthermore, they still haven’t awarded the 2024 Stanley Cup, as Game 6 goes tonight in Edmonton. We at Last Word provide all the coverage you could ask for, between the Cup final, the draft, and free agency. Today our focus is on our beloved Ottawa Senators and all the rumours circulating on their prospective goalie plan for their 2024-25 season. We will also offer some insight on each of the possible decisions.
Making Sense of the Ottawa Senators Goalie Rumours
If you really dig into the details, there is plenty of uncertainty surrounding the Ottawa Senators goaltending situation as the action of the summer trades and free agent signings really heats up. Recently, the Senators Senior Vice-President Dave Poulin made some telling comments on the evolving situation. Speaking on the current goaltending he said
“We’re not happy with the goaltending tandem, but I don’t think the goaltending tandem was happy with the goaltending tandem.”
So, it is not like they absolutely need to go and get someone for goal, but their goaltending needs to be better than it was in 2023-24. Poulin continued
“Can that (improvement) come from the two goaltenders we have? It can, but that is still to be determined.”
The thinking is, that if the Senators come back with Joonas Korpisalo and Anton Forsberg as their tandem in 2024-25, there will have to be significant improvements made to the team defensively in front of them. For example, they would need a reliable top-four, right-shot defenceman, someone like a Chris Tanev. Furthermore, they would also need a two-way, middle-six forward. Of course, a healthy and productive Josh Norris would check a lot of those required boxes upfront. It would help alleviate pressure on current restricted free agent (RFA) Shane Pinto to take care of the top-end, two-way grind.
But would that be enough to fix the Senators goaltending woes? You have to keep in mind some of the talented goalies who have passed through Ottawa with minimal success. Matt Murray, Cam Talbot, and Filip Gustavsson have all been extremely successful in their own rights at some point in their respective careers. However, they each struggled over the past few seasons in Ottawa. Korpisalo was no exception in his first year in Ottawa after signing a shiny five-year, $20 million deal.
So, let’s discuss some of the recently rumoured goalies to be heading Ottawa’s way. The Senators’ management seems hellbent on improving the situation. After Jacob Markstrom was traded yesterday to the New Jersey Devils from the Calgary Flames, that makes the list of available goaltenders a little shorter. Therefore, the three goalies we will discuss, based on recent credible rumours, are Linus Ullmark, Juuse Saros, and John Gibson.
NHL Rumours: Ottawa Senators Making Heavy Push for Goaltender
From the Rumours, Top Ottawa Senators Goalie to Land is Linus Ullmark
The Linus Ullmark to Ottawa rumour does seem to have a lot of momentum. Ullmark is a very talented goalie, who won the Vezina Trophy in 2022-23. In 2023-24, he had a 22-10-7 record, with a 2.57 GAA and a .915 SV%. If we study one important goalie metric, goals saved above expected (GSAx), Ullmark is truly elite. He finished seventh among goalies with a minimum of 20 games played in 2023-24 at 14.8. For comparison, Connor Hellebuyck led the league at 33.1, and Ullmark’s teammate Jeremy Swayman finished fourth with a 18.4 GSAx. This is where Forsberg (55th) and Korpisalo (64th) really struggled. If you’re wondering, from Ullmark’s Vezina winning campaign, he finished second with a 42.4 GSAx behind Juuse Saros (46.7).
However, in acquiring Linus Ullmark, it certainly isn’t all roses. For starters, the Ottawa Senators still need to improve their defence, and if they have to include Jakob Chychrun as part of a trade package, it is definitely a double-edged sword. Not to mention loading up an inter-divisional rival’s blueline. There is also some feeling that including the seventh overall pick from this year’s draft is too steep a price to pay for a goaltender. The other side of the coin is it is tough to know how much of Ullmark’s excellent play, is a result of being on a very tight, Jim Montgomery coached team in Boston. In his Vezina season, he had an incredible 40-6-1 record. In contrast, during his six seasons with Buffalo, where he still played well, including a .912 SV%, he combined for a mediocre at best, 50-47-13 record. Let’s also not forget he lost his regular game time in the playoffs to Swayman. Are the downsides enough to dissuade the Senators from acquiring Ullmark? They shouldn’t be, but they do need to be careful how it impacts the rest of the roster, in particular the defence.
The Juuse Saros to Ottawa Speculation
The next name up is Juuse Saros. The very rare, under-six foot tall tender, would quite possibly elevate any team to playoff contention, like he has done with the Nashville Predators. The main problem with Saros, is whether or not he is even available. General Manager Barry Trotz knows how valuable he is to the club. Also, the next man up in Tennessee, Yaroslav Askarov may not quite be ready for the big time. If the Sens could land Saros, without giving up too much from their current roster, it is a possibility. But with Trotz rumoured to be aiming for an extension, we don’t believe his focus is working a deal with anybody, including Ottawa.
NHL Rumours: Nashville Predators Hopeful About Deal with Goalie
Don’t Forget Me, John Gibson
Finally, another big-name goalie is John Gibson. Elliotte Friedman, one of the top NHL insider sources, thinks teams are landing on Gibson as a goaltender to land via trade. Gibson is 30 years old and had some tremendous success with the Anaheim Ducks in the past. He’s played nine full seasons with the Ducks, with six of those seasons playing 50 games or more. Therefore, he is more than capable of handling the load. In three seasons, he boasted a .920 SV% or above. There are some questions with Gibson, however. Does he even want to leave Anaheim? His age suggests that even though Anaheim is still in their rebuild window, Gibson would still be around by the time they turn it around. Furthermore, his recent performance has raised some questions, including an .888 SV% in 2023-24. However, those who believe in Gibson, know that is a result of the team in front of him. Do we have a common theme, about goalies relying on the team in front of them? Definitely.
Friedman on TJMS: "I'm going to throw another name out there at you and that's John Gibson, I think there are some teams looking at Gibson, I think that Jersey did but obviously they're off the table now, I don't know if that's a fit in Ottawa.."
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) June 20, 2024
The point is, it comes down to accountability. If for instance, Norris can’t play at a high level, it falls on the Sens management to quickly address the issue in the fall, before 2025 comes around, and the playoffs are no longer in reach. That’s why the Senators are trying to be proactive and prepared for their goaltending situation. Could Korpisalo and Forsberg handle the load? Quite possibly. But would landing a big fish in the summer bolster their standing? Again, quite possibly. The big dependency is who you give up, and whether or not they can be replaced before October. No doubt Steve Staios, Dave Poulin, and the entire Sens management staff have their work cut out for them.
Main photo credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
