The news surrounding Linus Ullmark left Ottawa Senators fans with a sunken heart. While the Sens’ starting goalie is officially day-to-day following Monday night’s exit, the prospect of turning to Samuel Ersson did not help fans’ blood pressure.
Green confirms to reporters in Detroit that Ullmark won’t backup tonight but says he’s “fine”. https://t.co/QeI3ucNZX0
— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) October 6, 2026
Ersson came in relief of Ullmark in the third period of Monday night’s 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins. After a brief walk on the wild side, Ersson managed to help his team hold down the fort.
However, things hit the skids on Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings. The Wings came in reeling, losing their first two games, and decimated by injuries. They got Dylan Larkin back in the lineup, and, well, the beleaguered former Detroit captain scored a goal in the first period.
In the end, Ersson stopped 31 of 35 shots. But the Senators just couldn't keep up their usual solid defensive effort. The Red Wings outshot them 36-25 in the 5-3 loss.
It was that kind of a night for Ersson and the Senators. Nevermind that they were playing on back-to-back nights. It’s just that the effort wasn’t there. And so, Ersson proved that he’s not the kind of guy who can steal a game that the Senators shouldn't win.
And if the Senators need to rely on Ersson for an extended period, there may be some cause for concern.
Senators defense can only paper over Ersson for so long
Unless the Senators’ defense can block every shot, there’s only so much it can do to paper over Ersson’s weaknesses.
Of course, if the Sens play a solid defensive effort every night, Ersson, or Jonas Johansson, for that matter, wouldn’t have to steal games for them.
But Ersson and Johansson would still have to stop the shots that do get through. That’s where the rubber meets the road. From what we saw on Tuesday night, there’s some legit reason for concern. Ersson doesn’t seem like the sort of goalie who could take over for a prolonged period.
And so, that puts pressure on Ullmark to get back into the fold ASAP. Naturally, the Senators won’t want to rush Ullmark back to the ice. But the fact of the matter is that time is of the essence. The Atlantic Division is going to be as tough as it usually is this season.
That’s why letting a few points slip through their fingers here and there could become a major problem down the line.
Let’s see what happens. Perhaps we’re just kicking up a storm over nothing. There may be a chance that Ersson and Johansson settle in and give the Senators the type of goaltending they need to excel.
Otherwise, Senators fans may need to book an appointment with their doctor for a refill of blood pressure meds.
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