Linus Ullmark will make his return to the starter’s crease on Saturday for the Ottawa Senators when they take on the New Jersey Devils, according to reports.
The Senators’ top goaltender has been out of the lineup since taking a leave of absence on Dec. 28 due to mental health reasons.
Ullmark served as the backup goaltender earlier this week, and will now get his first start since taking the leave of absence.
In an interview with TSN’s Claire Hanna, Ullmark described the reasons he took the leave of absence, citing his struggles with mental health. He also responded to hurtful rumours that were spreading on social media about why he had stepped away from the team.
The team released a statement early in January to stamp out those erroneous rumours after the goaltender took his leave of absence.
Over 28 games this season, Ullmark owns a 14-8-5 record alongside a 2.95 goals-against average and a .881 save percentage with one shutout.
Ullmark was acquired from the Boston Bruins ahead of the 2024-25 season, guiding the Sens to their first playoff appearance since 2017.
The Senators enter Saturday’s action riding a two-game winning streak, but sit tied at the bottom of the Atlantic Division alongside the Toronto Maple Leafs with 57 points at 25-21-7.