Linus Ullmark needs to find his form in time for the Senators
The Ottawa Senators are in a tough fight for their playoff lives, as they sit three points back of Boston and Detroit for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference with 16 games left on their schedule.
Part of the reason they’re not more of a sure thing to make it two straight years with a playoff appearance is the fact that star goalie Linus Ullmark has struggled. His .885 save percentage is nearly 30 points below his career mark, and it’s 25 points beneath where he was when he helped ensure a Stanley Cup playoff bid a season ago.
On Monday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, host Tyler Yaremchuk and co-host and former NHL video coach Steve Peters were joined by Brent Wallace of The Nation Network’s Comin’ in Hot podcast to discuss Ullmark’s rough season and how the Senators could save their season if he can turn things around.
Steve Peters: That brings me to the next question, which is perfect timing. Ullmark’s given up three or more in four of six, but in the two that he wins, he gets a shutout and a one-goal game. Can he get his game back on track? And more importantly, will they make the playoffs because of Ullmark, or in spite of Ullmark?
Brent Wallace: They’re going to have to make it with him, that’s for sure. Remember, like, he’s got one regulation loss in like the last 13 starts, or something. You would think that he’s got this amazing record, and his save percentage is pedestrian, which is interesting. So do you complain that he’s not making the saves enough, or do you go, ‘Okay, well you just want to win.’ I don’t care if you put Grant Fuhr in net and he allows six goals a night, the Edmonton Oilers would win every game 7-6. I don’t like the track meet style, but they are winning, and that’s, at the end of the day, all you care about. The only concern I have is, if they’re going to make the playoffs, Linus Ullmark has got to find a way to be a little bit better.
You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…