Senators’ Linus Ullmark leaves games vs. Oilers with upper-body injury

Ottawa Senators’ goaltender Linus Ullmark left Sunday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers with an upper-body injury, with the club announcing on social media that he would not return.

Linus Ullmark sustained an upper body injury during tonight’s game against the Edmonton Oilers.

He will not return to action this evening.

— Sens Communications (@Media_Sens) December 23, 2024

It’s not certain how Ullmark sustained the injury, but the Senators’ netminder did not come out fort the second period, replaced by Leevi Merilainen.

Going into Sunday’s game against the Oilers, the 31-year-old Ullmark was 7-0-0 with a .967 save percentage (SV%) and 0.99 goals against average (GAA) in his last seven starts, with two shutouts earned during that span. Overall, the Swedish netminder is 12-7-2 with a .916% and 2.37 GAA in 22 appearances in 2024-25.

Acquired by Ottawa in the offseason, Ullmark spent the first nine seasons of his NHL career with the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres, the latter of which drafted him in the sixth round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Now in his 10th season, Ullmark has a 150-80-25 record with a .918 SV% and 2.50 GAA in 269 total appearances.

While playing for the Bruins in 2022-23, Ullmark went 40-6-1 with a .938 SV% and 1.89 GAA in 49 appearances, earning himself the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goaltender, as well as splitting the William M. Jennings Trophy with teammate Jeremy Swayman for allowing the fewest goals in the league.

Ahead of Sunday’s contest, the Senators were 18-13-2 with 38 points, fifth in the Atlantic Division and holding onto the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. They had won six straight games and were 8-1-1 in their last 10 contests.

Forward Tim Stutzle leads the team with 39 points (11 goals and 28 assists), followed by forwards Drake Batherson with 34 points (13 goals and 21 assists) and captain Brady Tkachuk’s 33 points (16 goals and 17 assists). Defender Jake Sanderson leads the club in ice time with 24:23 while scoring two goals and adding 18 assists for 20 points.