In June 2024, the Ottawa Senators made a bold statement when they traded for 2023 Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins. Trading for Ullmark helped the Senators find a number one goaltender to help them win games.
While Ullmark was solid, last season the Senators saw something not many expected which was a rise from Leevi Merilainen. Prior to last season, Merilainen played in just two NHL games, but had an incredible Winter surge to save the Senators season.
This upcoming 2025-26 season will have high expectations for the Senators. Goaltending will be a major factor to determine how good the Senators can be. One thing is for certain, most are on board with the Ullmark-Merilainen duo before the season starts.
Ullmark & Merilainen make a top 10 goaltending list together
Yesterday, Bleacher Report's Joe Yerdon wrote an article titled "Ranking Every NHL Goalie Tandem Ahead of the 2025-26 Season." Yerdon named the tandem of Ullmark and Merilainen as the 10th best among tandems in the NHL.
With the seasons they both had last year, there's reason why the tandem of Ullmark and Marilainen made Yerdon's top 10 list. Ullmark became the first Senator since Dominik Hasek in the 2005-06 season to win 25 games in his first season as a Senator.
Along with his 25 wins last season, Ullmark also recorded a 2.72 goals against average and .909 save percentage. Ullmark's four shutouts last season were also the most in his career for a single season. Now at 32 years old, Ullmark is destined for a bigger season in 2025-26.
This off-season, the Senators lost goaltender Anton Forsberg when he signed with the Los Angeles Kings. However, even at 23 years old, there's high potential for Merilainen despite playing in 12 games last season.
Merilainen recorded an 8-3-1 record along with an impressive 1.99 GAA and .925 save percentage last season. Three of Merilainen's eight wins were shutouts. With Forsberg gone, Merilainen has the chance to thrive as Ullmark's full-time backup. Merilainen could get a solid amount of games as a full-time backup to grow and give Ullmark important rest.
Had Merilainen not have his solid 12 games last season, it could've been unsure if the Senators would've made the 2025 playoffs. However, Merilainen was a key reason to help the Senators make the playoffs, even if he didn't play for a large part of last season.
This upcoming season has a ton of excitement surrounding the Ottawa goaltenders. With how last season went, there's reason to believe that Ullmark and Merilainen can form even a better duo in between the pipes this season.
"This tandem could turn out to be one of the sneaky better ones in the league if they can replicate what they did a year ago," Yerdon said.
The 2025-26 season opener for the Senators is set on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. ET.