The Ottawa Senators’ season has gone off the rails. They sit last in the Atlantic Division at 20-19-5. They are riding a four-game losing streak, most recently dropping a 3-2 decision to the Florida Panthers on Saturday.
But the spotlight has shifted away from the team’s on-ice struggles and toward goaltender Linus Ullmark.
Senators’ Brady Tkachuk Goes Off on Media Noise Around Linus Ullmark’s Time Away
The discussion began after Ullmark took a personal leave on Dec. 29, which quickly sparked trade speculation around the league. Senators general manager Steve Staios attempted to shut that down earlier this week, stressing that the rumours were false and that Ullmark was away strictly for personal reasons.
Even so, the chatter hasn’t stopped. Speaking on Jeff Marek’s The Sheet, insider David Pagnotta said there has been widespread speculation about Ullmark’s absence, including talk of potential tension with the organization, and noted that other teams have heard his name mentioned.
On Saturday morning, Senators captain Brady Tkachuk addressed the online rumours, and he didn’t hold back. “It’s pretty f**king bulls**t. I don’t think anybody’s happy about a narrative being spread like that,” Tkachuk said. “It’s okay for people to critique our on-ice performance. But when it gets into family, it’s pretty f**king bulls**t. So it’s embarrassing that it got to the point that it did. I can tell you, I’m not happy about it one bit.”
Ullmark was with the team for Monday night’s game against the Detroit Red Wings and returned to practice on Tuesday, though there remains no timetable for his return to game action. The Senators listed him as a non-roster player on Thursday ahead of their 8-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche to make room for the return of center Lars Eller from injury.
Tkachuk also expressed sympathy for Ullmark, saying no player should have to deal with that kind of speculation. “But the fact that he has to even deal with this, and even has to think about it,” Tkachuk said. “All we care about for him is getting what he needs, and we’ve said from Day 1 that he has our support. Now that he has to deal with this, it’s f**cking mind-blowing.”
ALSO READ: Insider Stirs Linus Ullmark Trade Rumors, Hints at Tension Behind the Scenes in Ottawa
In the meantime, the Senators have struggled between the pipes without Ullmark. Backup goaltender Leevi Merilainen has had a difficult stretch, entering Saturday’s game against Florida with a 6-10-0 record, a 3.48 goals-against average, and an .866 save percentage.
