Kleven missed the final seven games of the regular season and is questionable to play in Game 1 in Carolina. Kleven was on the ice for Friday's practice, but skated as an extra, signalling that he may be unavailable to open the series. Head coach Travis Green said that Kleven is closer to playing, but likely won't announce any lineup changes ahead of warmups.
Merilainen has played well in the AHL as of late and figures to serve as Ottawa's third goalie throughout the postseason. Merilainen has gone 8-8-1 with a 2.77 GAA and .909 SV% in 19 AHL games, bu struggled with Ottawa, posting an 8-10-1 record, 3.51 GAA and .860 SV% in 20 games.
Fresh off his NCAA Championship loss, Blake Montgomery has signed a three-year entry-level contract with Ottawa on Wednesday. The 20-year-old towering defensemen was Ottawa's 2024 4th round pick (117th overall) and had nine goals and 17 points in 38 games in his first season in Wisconsin (NCAA) after coming over from London (OHL) the previous season.
Amadio has played every game for Ottawa this season and will have the night off in their final game before beginning the postseason. The 29-year-old Amadio scored a career-high 35 points (15G/ 20A) in 81 games this season. Hayden Hodgson will draw into the lineup as Amadio's replacement.
Michael Amadio (rest) will not play on Wednesday, allowing Hodgon to re-enter the lineup. The 30-year-old Hodgson has played nine games with Ottawa this season, but has spent most of 2025-26 in the AHL, where he has 11 points (6G / 5A) in 47 games with Belleville.
Ullmark stopped 22 of 23 shots in the Senators' 5-1 win over the Panthers on Thursday. Ullmark is playing his best hockey at the right time of year, having gone 4-1-0 with a 2.20 GAA and .913 SV% in five April starts. This afternoon he'll start a pivotal matchup vs. the Islanders, who he struggled against way back in October. In his only start vs. the Islanders this season, Ullmark gave up five goals on 23 shots in a 5-4 loss.
With the surprising return of Thomas Chabot (forearm), Crotty will be the odd man out of Ottawa's lineup as a healthy scratch. The 26-year-old Crotty recently made his season debut with Ottawa, averaging 14:47 time-on-ice and tallying one assist in four games.
Currently sitting in the second Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference, the Senators control their own fate and will attempt to inch closer to securing a ticket to the postseason on Thursday, with Ullmark tending the twine against the Florida Panthers. The 32-year-old Swedish goalie had an abysmal showing in a game last week against the Panthers, exiting late in the first period after allowing five goals on 16 shots (.688 SV%) in an eventual 6-3 loss. That said, he has rebounded in four games since (3-1-0), posting a 2.50 GAA and .903 SV%. The Senators enter Thursday's contest as sizeable -284 home favourites against an injury-depleted Panthers team on a three-game losing streak (0-2-1).
Only two weeks into his initial four-to-eight week recovery timeline after undergoing surgery, Chabot will make a surprising return to Ottawa's lineup on Thursday against the Florida Panthers. With Ottawa's playoff hopes on the line, they will up their chances of securing a spot in the postseason with the 29-year-old Chabot, who has 31 points (7G / 24A) in 55 games this season.
With a myriad of injuries on Ottawa's blueline, Yakemchuk was recalled from Belleville (AHL) and made an unexpected NHL debut this season. The 20-year-old, seventh-overall pick from the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, scoring two points (1G / 1A) in four games with Ottawa, but with healthy bodies drawing back into the lineup, he will return to Belleville (AHL).
Chabot is about two weeks into his four-to-eight week recovery timeline after undergoing surgery, but has back at practice in a limited capacity on Tuesday. The 29-year-old defenseman has 31 points (7G / 24A) in 55 games this season and is unlikely to suit up before the playoffs.
The Senators currently occupy the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, but remain in an ultra-tight battle, and will turn to Ullmark on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 32-year-old Ullmark was serviceable on Sunday, saving 25 of 28 shots (.893 SV%) in a pivotal 6-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. That said, he has battled some inconsistencies lately, losing three of his last five (2-2-1), posting a concerning 3.70 GAA and .876 SV%. The Senators enter Tuesday's contest as -127 home favourites against a Lightning team that lost 4-2 last night to the Buffalo Sabres.
