Ottawa Senators President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Steve Staios has delivered a strong public endorsement of starting goaltender Linus Ullmark, affirming the organization's belief in the netminder during a media availability on Monday morning.
Vote of Confidence Amidst Statistical Struggles
Speaking with reporters at the Canadian Tire Centre, Staios left no doubt about where the team stands regarding their top goaltender. "I believe in Linus. The team believes in Linus," Staios stated emphatically. This declaration of support comes despite Ullmark's challenging start to the season, where he has posted a 3.24 goals-against average and a .866 save percentage through 13 starts.
The Swedish goaltender currently holds a 6-4-3 record but ranks 48th in the National Hockey League in save percentage. Staios acknowledged that even elite goaltenders experience difficult stretches during a season. "I'm not making excuses, but honestly, I think he's been a little bit unlucky when you look at some of the goals that have gone in," the GM noted, suggesting that puck luck has played a role in Ullmark's early numbers.
Organizational Commitment to Ullmark
Despite backup Leevi Merilainen's impressive 26-save performance against the Utah Mammoth on Sunday, Staios made it clear that Ullmark remains the Senators' primary option in goal. The organization views Ullmark as the goaltender who can lead them back to playoff contention and expects head coach Travis Green and goalie coach Justin Peters to continue giving him the majority of starts.
Staios highlighted Ullmark's off-ice commitment as evidence of his dedication to returning to form. "He's in better shape than he's ever been in," Staios revealed. "He's made that commitment. You can see that his game is rounding into form over a long period of time. He's our guy, and we have full faith in him."
Team Performance and Playoff Positioning
The Senators have shown improvement recently, with better defensive play in front of their goaltenders contributing to their current standing. As of Monday, Ottawa sits in third place in the Atlantic Division with an 8-5-3 record and 16 points as the season approaches the quarter-mark.
Staios expressed some surprise about the team's initial performance this season. "I was a little surprised with our start. To be quite honest," he admitted. "You hope, with the continuation of last year, with a similar group coming back, same coaching staff, that we would have been on our game early, and we've grown into it, playing to our identity more now."
With the Senators positioned to make a serious playoff push, the organization appears committed to supporting Ullmark through his current challenges, banking on his proven track record and offseason preparation to yield better results as the season progresses.
