The Ottawa Senators' 2025-26 NHL campaign is being torpedoed by a crisis in the crease, with goaltending numbers so poor they are etching a place in the franchise's record books for all the wrong reasons.
A Glove-Side Glimpse of Frustration
The frustration was palpable for goaltender Leevi Merilainen during a recent Saturday night game. After Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling beat him with a sharp-angle slap shot over the glove, Merilainen could only snarl in self-directed anger. The goal, which made it 3-1, was a microcosm of the season's struggles. The camera then panned to Senators forwards Brady Tkachuk, Dylan Cozens, and Tim Stutzle on the bench, their blank stares and subtle head shakes speaking volumes about a team in the midst of a four-game losing skid.
In his own assessment, Merilainen struck a conflicted tone. "There's been ups and downs, for sure," he said. "But overall, I don't think it's been that horrible. It's just, it's not going my way, our way, right now." He pointed to the challenge of staying sharp when facing fewer, but often high-quality, shots against.
The Numbers Tell a Historic Story
While players traditionally defend their goaltenders, the statistical reality is brutal and undeniable. Through 44 games, the Ottawa Senators possess the league's worst team save percentage at a dismal .868. This figure isn't just bad for this season; it's historically bad for the franchise.
Since the Senators began play in 1992-93, only three teams in NHL history have posted a lower full-season save percentage:
- The 1992-93 Ottawa Senators (.852)
- The 1993-94 Ottawa Senators (.857)
- The 1992-93 San Jose Sharks (.866)
This places the current tandem of Merilainen and Linus Ullmark in uniquely poor company, echoing the struggles of the league's earliest expansion teams.
The Missing "Stolen" Games
Beyond the raw save percentage, a critical factor in Ottawa's middling 20-19-5 record has been the absence of game-stealing performances. Neither goaltender has truly stood on his head to single-handedly win a contest this season.
Ullmark registered one shutout in a 4-0 victory over Pittsburgh, but the game was so lopsided it could have been a much larger margin. His 22-save effort in a 2-1 win against Philadelphia came in a game where Ottawa outshot the Flyers 33-23. Merilainen's standout was a 29-save performance in a 4-2 win over the Utah Mammoth.
This starkly contrasts with the experience of Senators opponents, who have repeatedly benefited from stellar netminding. Recent memory serves up multiple examples:
- Karel Vejmelka's 32 saves for Utah in a 3-1 Mammoth win.
- John Gibson's 35 stops for Detroit in a game Ottawa dominated.
- Jet Greaves' 27-save performance for Columbus just before the new year.
- Joel Hofer's remarkable 41-save outing for St. Louis over a month ago.
The combination of historically weak goaltending at one end and routinely strong performances against them at the other has created an almost insurmountable hurdle for the Senators' skaters. As the season progresses, addressing this existential crisis in net will be paramount if the team hopes to salvage its playoff aspirations and avoid being remembered for one of the worst defensive seasons in modern franchise history.
