Ottawa Senators’ Goaltending Depth After Free Agency – Hockey Writers – Senators Goaltending

Now that we’ve looked at the depth chart at left wing, right wing, center, and defense for the Ottawa Senators, it’s time to move on to the crease and look at goaltending. Now that the draft, the first wave of free agency, and development camp are over, the depth chart is growing and we have an idea of ​​what the system will look like.

Related: Senators Have Been A Goaltending Carousel Since Anderson

Scoring has been a major problem for Ottawa during the rebuilding period. With a large amount of profits, failed projects, and attempts to negotiate and trade, this is the strongest the depth of the mission has been in a long time.

Senators Depth Chart

After trading away Joonas Korpisalo and Kevin Mandolese and acquiring Linus Ullmark, here is the goal depth in Ottawa:

Linus Ullmark

After winning the Vezina Trophy in the 2022-23 season, Ullmark took a step back in his play with the Boston Bruins, which is understandable following an incredible season. With a .915 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.55 goals against average (GAA), Ullmark had a strong season while splitting a year from Jeremy Swayman.

Many point to the Bruins’ team defense and more aggressive play than the Senators as the reason for his success, while others have said that he was part of why the Bruins looked so good. When looking at expected goals against other metrics, the Senators and Bruins both landed in the middle of the league, with the Bruins’ number slightly better.

There’s been a defensive problem in Ottawa for a long time, and it’s probably true that their play makes the ballplayers look worse than they are, which is why many struggled with the Senators but did well after leaving. That being said, conceding a goal on the first or second shot of a game 22 times last season is inexcusable and the onus is on the goalies.

Ullmark is the best goaltender, on paper, the Senators have had since bringing in 41-year-old Dominik Hasek. He will be a sure fire starter, and hopefully he can help bring the Senators to a better position in the standings than they have been in the last seven seasons.

Anton Forsberg

Anton Forsberg’s career got some life when he joined the Senators organization for the 2020-21 season, and became a full-time NHL goaltender for the 2021-22 season. His first full season with the Senators was one to remember as he posted a .917 SV% on a weak team. He got a three-year extension and has been a below-average goaltender ever since. That being said, there are a few ways to protect that.

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In the 2022-23 season, Forsberg suffered MCL injuries in both knees, ending his season after just 28 games. He struggled with injuries last season, but even when healthy, he struggled. That was a team-wide problem, and while some of that responsibility falls on Forsberg, now that there’s a set of eyes running through the team, a bench, and improved roster movement, he could step up to the plate this season. and prove that he is still a good goalkeeper.

Mads Sogaard

In 27 NHL games, Sogaard has struggled to post solid numbers, but as a young goaltender, it’s not something he can resist. He is always remembered when the team is dealing with injuries and is usually out of the playoff spot.

In the American Hockey League (AHL), Sogaard posted his best season, finishing with a .916 SV% and 2.45 GAA in 32 games and managed an 18-9-3 record. He became the starting goaltender for the Belleville Senators and led them to the playoffs where he posted a .910 SV% in six games.

He is still young and considered the best in the organization. Having another year or two of solid development in the AHL should lead to Sogaard having a better transition to the NHL than the last one.

Leevi Merilainen

After an impressive rookie season in Liiga, Leevi Merilainen signed his entry-level contract and was on his way to the Senators organization. With several strikers in the running for spots in the AHL, Merilainen played some time in the ECHL, and did very well there.

In the AHL, there is still a lot of promise in his game. His first official season was last season, and he posted a .906 SV%, but as a 21-year-old, there is a lot of improvement to be had in that league. There’s a lot of potential for Merilainen, and if he can reach his peak performance in the Liiga, he could challenge Sogaard as the best player sooner rather than later, but he needs to show that he can transition to less ice. up.

Michael Simpson

The Belleville Senators signed Michael Simpson following the Memorial Cup, and he could be a wildcard on this list. Currently, he is under an AHL contract, but has a solid career coming out of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

The 21-year-old goaltender is a two-time OHL champion and the recipient of the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award, given to the Finals MVP. Over the past two seasons, Simpson has a record of 58-32-3 in the regular season and is 31-9-0 in the playoffs. He will likely see time in the ECHL this season, but could see time if there is an injury to any of the forwards ahead of him on the roster.

The Senators have two other goaltenders on the roster who have yet to sign their entry-level contracts, Kevin Reidler and Vladimir Nikitin. They are not in the Senators’ organization yet, which is why they are not included in this list.