Linus Ullmark’s 2026-27 bounce-back case for the Senators

Last season, the Ottawa Senators came dangerously close to beating the two worst single-season NHL team save percentages since 1990, both held by themselves, with a .865 save percentage.
(SV%). The Senators have been searching for consistency in net since Craig Anderson and his departure in 2019-20. Two seasons ago, the team acquired Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark in what can be considered one of the better trades in team history. In his first season, Ullmark posted a .910 SV% with 25 wins, securing the Senators’ first playoff berth in eight years. Unfortunately, the same performance from Ullmark was not in the cards for the 2025-26 season.

2025-26 was a season to forget for Ullmark

In October, it was clear Ullmark wasn’t quite the same. He was letting in softer goals, struggling with rebound control, and the positionally sound goaltender often looked out of position. His stats began to reflect that, with a 5-4 record and a rough .863 SV%. The rest of 2025 wasn’t kind to him either, with an .887 SV% in November and an .895 SV% in December. Then, it was announced that Linus Ullmark would be taking a personal leave of absence from the team.

In a ridiculous bout of speculation, after baseless and harmful rumours ran rampant for days, theSenators released a statement. Following that, Ullmark invited the public into his struggles with mental health. Ullmark missed 14 games before returning from leave in January, earning a dominant win over the New Jersey Devils while surrendering just one goal.

The rest of the season wasn’t perfect for Ullmark, as he was quoted as saying, "I'm still very much fighting the demons every single day." The team brought in his longtime friend and goaltending coach, Maciej Swoch, to help Ullmark with his day-to-day work, personally and professionally. Ullmark began to right the ship heading into April while putting together a winning record along the way.

April was when the goaltender began to shine. In the dogfight for the last playoff spot, Ullmark went 5-1 with a .926 SV% and a shutout. And once Ullmark was in the playoffs, he was a beast and a major reason why the Senators had a slight chance against the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. He allowed nine goals over four games while posting a .932 SV%.

The most integral part of Ullmark finding his elite form will be having a strong support system surrounding him. With the aforementioned addition of Swoch, as well as a seemingly less tumultuous locker room, the Senators can provide Ullmark with the stability he needs. Ullmark also noted that he now has more tools and more knowledge of the situation and himself to be able to handle it better.

Ullmark has all the tools to return to form

There is no doubt Ullmark has the tools to be an elite goaltender, having won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goaltender four seasons ago. He’s a big goaltender who is very technically sound, using his size to cut down angles when in the butterfly. He’s also one of the more fun goalies in the league when it comes to his highlight-reel saves, always fighting to make the save; he's very similar to Anderson in some ways.

On top of that, 2025-26 was the worst statistical season Ullmark has ever had as a starter, dating back to his junior hockey days in the early 2010s. He was still able to put up very good statistics on some very bad Buffalo Sabres teams. Once he moved to a stronger, more defensively sound Boston Bruins team, he hit yet another gear. Ullmark has the track record and pedigree to look at this past season as more of an anomaly than the new normal.

Now, the 33-year-old is approaching one of the most important seasons of his career, with a lot to prove that he still can be an elite goaltender. The safer bet for this season is that Ullmark performs more like the goaltender he was in the playoffs rather than the one he was during the regular season.

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