Tonight, the Ottawa Senators and Winnipeg Jets will meet for the second and final time this season at 7 p.m. ET. The Senators are currently without momentum as the team is on a four-game losing streak.
Whenever the best team in the NHL comes into town, a team needs to be at full force to have a better chance to win. Unfortunately for the Senators, that will not be the case against the Jets, who have the best record in the NHL at 41-14-3.
Head coach Travis Green provided huge updates ahead of tonight's Senators-Jets game. While one is excited to make his season debut, the offense will still be lacking.
Tkachuk, Norris and Pinto all out; Crookshank to make season debut
Green announced that Brady Tkachuk, Shane Pinto and Josh Norris will all be out for tonight's game, but Jan Jenik will play his second NHL game this season (first since Jan. 7), and Angus Crookshank will make his season debut. Despite getting pulled in his last start this past Saturday, Linus Ullmark will start in goal.
Travis Green says Norris, Tkachuk and Pinto are all out.
— TSN 1200 Ottawa (@TSN1200) February 26, 2025
Ullmark starts.
Crookshank and Janik both play and it will be 11 forwards and 7 defence.
Not having the captain along with Pinto and Norris in the lineup is still a huge blow. But, the excitement to see Crookshank play this season will be big. In the AHL with Belleville this season, Crookshank leads the team with 18 goals and is fourth on the team with 33 points. Last season in the NHL, Crookshank recorded three points in 13 games. Jenik has 13 points in 30 AHL games this season.
Tkachuk was hoping that there would be a chance that he would return tonight, but the wait for Tkachuk will have to be longer. Pinto and Norris are still not ready to play even with having the 4 Nations Face-Off break to get extra rest.
The time for Ullmark to be consistent has to happen as soon as possible. If the Senators are going to make a playoff push this year, than Ullmark needs to be better. Ullmark has lost all three of his starts since returning from injury. Along with losing his three starts, Ullmark has allowed in 12 goals and has an .879 save percentage.
The Senators will be eager to avenge their 4-2 loss against the Jets from Dec. 28, but with three important offensive players out, tonight's game will only be tougher to close out February.