The Ottawa Senators are in the thick of a tight playoff race, but there's a nagging concern that has followed the team through the second half of the season: the goaltending just hasn't been consistent enough.
Linus Ullmark, brought in at considerable cost to be Ottawa's number-one netminder, has struggled to find the elite form he showed earlier in his career. James Reimer, the veteran backup, has had his own difficult outings. For a team with genuine playoff ambitions, the situation in the crease needs to change, and quickly.
Ullmark Under the Spotlight in Ottawa
When the Senators signed Ullmark, expectations were sky-high. The Swedish goaltender won the Vezina Trophy with Boston and was supposed to provide the kind of steadying, elite goaltending that playoff teams rely on. This season has been a more complicated story. Ullmark has shown flashes of his best form, but he's also allowed some soft goals at critical junctures, the kind that show up in the standings.
Senators GM Steve Staios publicly backed his goalie this week, telling TSN: "We love having Linus Ullmark here. We believe in him, and we believe he's going to turn it around." That kind of public support matters for a goaltender's confidence, but belief from management doesn't stop pucks from crossing the goal line.
The Math Ottawa's Facing
In the modern NHL, teams that struggle with save percentage during a playoff push tend to fade. Ottawa's offence has the talent to compete, Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, and company can put up points, but goaltending is the multiplier that turns talented rosters into postseason teams.
Historically, playoff runs are made or broken in the crease. Opponents know that a shaky netminder can be exploited, and with Ottawa's remaining schedule including key divisional matchups, the margin for error is slim.
Ottawa Fans Watching Closely
Ottawa hockey fans, who've endured lean years and are deeply invested in this current era, are watching the goaltending situation with a mix of concern and cautious optimism. The prevailing sentiment around the city is that this Senators team has everything it needs to compete, but that the crease has been the weak link.
With the trade deadline passed, what the Senators have in net is what they'll ride the rest of the way. That puts extra pressure on both Ullmark and Reimer to deliver when the games mean the most.
The Road Ahead for the Senators
Ottawa's remaining games will go a long way toward determining whether the Sens secure a second consecutive playoff berth. For the Senators organization, which has been building toward sustained competitiveness for several years, missing the playoffs after last season's run would be a disappointing step back.
For now, Ottawa fans can do what they've always done: fill the building, make noise, and trust in the boys in red and black.
Source: Ottawa Citizen
