Ottawa Senators fans will get their first look at the team’s new star netminder on Thursday.
Goaltender Linus Ullmark will start Thursday’s pre-season tilt against the Buffalo Sabres in Ottawa, the team announced before the game.
Per Sportsnet’s Alex Adams, Ullmark will play the first half of the game and then be replaced by Dustin Tokarski.
Ullmark missed Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs after he tweaked something in camp. But according to Senators head coach Travis Green, the 30-year-old goalie was “fine” and the team was just being “cautious.”
The 2023 Vezina Trophy winner returned to practice on Wednesday and said afterward that they “had it all under control.”
Ullmark was acquired in June in a trade with the Boston Bruins in exchange for goalie Joonas Korpisalo, centre Mark Kastelic and a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Ottawa took a gamble acquiring the Swedish netminder as he heads into the final year of his contract, hoping he could solve the team’s longstanding struggles in goal.
The news wasn’t as good for Senators defenceman Artem Zub, who is still dealing with a lower-body injury. Green had no update on his status or timeline on Thursday.
Zub, 28, had five goals and 20 assists in 69 games with the Senators last season.