Linus Ullmark is arguably having his worst NHL season, on and off the ice. Earlier this year, the goaltender was at the receiving end of unrelenting social media slander over his leave of absence. To add insult to injury, his performance has clearly dipped: his latest sub .700 SV% against the Florida Panthers was a distressing sight.
Travis Green Explains Why Linus Ullmark Was Pulled Vs. Panthers
Ullmark has seen better days. Against the Panthers, Ullmark had an SV% of .688. He allowed five goals on 16 shots before being pulled to be replaced by James Reimer. From the very onset of the game, it became evident that Ullmark was not his usual, fiery self.
Ullmark practically paved the way for the Panthers to score the first point merely eight seconds into the game. With the Panthers winning the opening face-off, Ullmark found himself between a rock and a hard place before the puck rolled off Jordan Spence’s stick and landed with a Panther, ending up in the back of the net.
The veteran goalie’s abrupt decline is unprecedented. However, HC Travis Green holds the Senators as a whole responsible for Ullmark being replaced by Reimer during the showdown against Florida. “I pulled him, but I pulled him more because the team was so sh**ty, not because of him.”
The Sens indeed lacked the energy and drive that a team hungry for a wild-card berth must exhibit. In contrast to the relentless Panthers, the Senators cut a sorry figure.
“Disappointing. We talked about the importance of a good start in this building and that was the opposite. We just weren’t good enough tonight. Flat out, we had a lot of players who weren’t good enough,” Green commented in the aftermath, his disappointment palpable.
Moreover, it is very likely that the veteran netminder is fatigued. Ullmark was previously absent from the Senators vs. Lightning because he desperately needed to rest and recharge. “I want to play Linus every night. He needed a rest, and he wasn’t available to start tonight,” Green said at the time.
Travis Green says Ullmark “needed a rest and that’s fine.” #Sens
— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) April 2, 2026
Clearly, Ullmark was not rested enough. The goalie entered the ice after a solid break to play against the Panthers, but put up one of his most underwhelming performances by far. However, it must also be noted that the team’s defense is severely compromised without Jake Sanderson, which could adversely affect the net.
The standout defenseman was spotted in a practice skate this week, in a no-contact jersey.
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