Linus Ullmark refreshed and confident as Ottawa Senators enter new season
The 33-year-old goaltender wore new gear Friday to media day, buoyed by off-season work with a longtime mentor now on staff.
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Linus Ullmark, entering his third full season with the Ottawa Senators, met media on Friday for the first time since training camp opened, signalling a marked shift in tone from last year.
Ullmark, 33, raised eyebrows on Day 1 of training camp last September when he said he wasn't happy with his game or off-season preparation. This year, he presented a different picture: he wore a new setup including red pads and gloves, and his outlook has brightened.
The change reflects a season-long journey. After taking a 35-day leave of absence for mental health reasons last season, Ullmark returned to lead the Senators into the playoffs. They were swept in Round 1 by the Carolina Hurricanes, but Ullmark's performance stood out: a .932 save percentage and 2.03 goals-against average across four games.
The off-season brought fresh support. The Senators hired Maciej Szwoch, 41, as co-ordinator of goaltending scouting and development. Szwoch and Ullmark are close friends and longtime teammates—Ullmark called him a mentor who has been there "over 15 years ago. We shared a lot of good, happy memories. Also some less happy memories."
Swzoch spent four days with Ullmark at his home in Sweden before Ullmark returned to Ottawa in September, continuing a support structure that was different from the year before. Last season, goaltending coach Justin Peters travelled from North America to work with Ullmark; this year, Szwoch made the trip instead. Peters remains on staff and will work alongside Szwoch at both NHL and AHL levels.
The Senators also brought in Samuel Ersson from the Philadelphia Flyers as backup to Ullmark. Ersson signed a two-year deal worth $2.2 million US annually after the Senators acquired him from Toronto in June. The expanded NHL schedule now runs 84 games, and Ersson is expected to play 30–35 of them.
Ullmark has never played more than 50 games in a season, so the expanded slate and fresh team support may shift that pattern. "It was a good kind of middle ground for Maciej to come up and work on some things that me, him and Peters have talked about," Ullmark said of his off-season preparation.
The facts
How did Linus Ullmark perform in last season's playoffs?
Ullmark posted a .932 save percentage and 2.03 goals-against average across four games as the Ottawa Senators were swept in Round 1 by the Carolina Hurricanes.
Who did the Ottawa Senators hire to work with Ullmark this off-season?
The Senators hired Maciej Szwoch, 41, as co-ordinator of goaltending scouting and development. Szwoch is a longtime friend and mentor of Ullmark who spent four days working with him at his home in Sweden before the season.
Who is the Senators' new backup goaltender?
Samuel Ersson signed a two-year deal worth $2.2 million US annually with the Ottawa Senators after being acquired from Toronto in June. He is expected to play 30–35 games in the expanded 84-game NHL schedule.
