When the Ottawa Senators traded for Samuel Ersson this past summer, some fans had significant reservations.
When the Sens extended the 27-year-old to a two-year, $4.4 million deal, fans were also concerned about the option behind Linus Ullmark.
And after Ullmark went down with a recent injury, Ottawa fans needed to reach for their blood pressure meds. After all, Ersson has put up a 4.59 GAA and an .835 SV% in five games. The numbers are even more concerning than his career averages.
All right, so the Senators made the choice they did out of the need for an experienced backup behind Ullmark.
But Tuesday night’s loss to the Vegas Golden Knights shed even more light on the situation. The Sens rolled with Jonas Johansson, with the veteran backup stopping 25 of 27 shots on the night. Johansson was good and kept the Senators in the game all night long. In the end, the score seemed much more lopsided than it really was as a result of the two empty-netters late in the third period.
With that in mind, Johansson’s first start as a Senator has really begun to raise questions about Ersson and his viability moving forward.
Senators are pretty much stuck with Samuel Ersson
At the end of the day, the Senators are pretty much stuck with Samuel Ersson. There doesn’t seem to be a path forward in which the organization could find another replacement.
Sure, there may be a couple of waiver goalies or some guys lingering in the minors. But that’s not what the point is. The point, in any event, would be to find a guy who can hold the fort until Ullmark returns.
And if there is some measure of good news, it would appear that Johansson could be that guy.
Perhaps it’s still too soon to pass judgment on Samuel Ersson. Maybe he can regain form now that there’s a clear path for him and Johansson to split the duties until Ullmark returns.
The reality, however, is that the Senators can’t afford to let any more points get away. The club has to win as many games as possible now.
That’s why the organization may be forced to make a decision sooner rather than later. If Ersson can’t establish himself as a bona fide NHL goalie, the situation may get to a point in which the Senators may need to find another solution elsewhere.
In the meantime, it looks like Ersson and Johansson could keep the Senators above water. But the runway for the former Philadelphia Flyer is getting increasingly short.
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