Senators weigh Skinner, Ingram, and Merilainen backup

Senators backup – The Ottawa Senators are looking to add stability behind Linus Ullmark for the 2026-27 season, with three backup pathways in focus: Pittsburgh Penguins UFA Stuart Skinner, Oilers pending UFA Connor Ingram, or a return for Leevi Merilainen, who is set to become

Ottawa’s goaltending situation has always been about more than who starts the night. It’s about who can step in when the starter can’t—whether that’s a grind of back-to-backs or a mental health leave that changes everything.

The Senators are heading into the 2026-27 season searching for stability behind Linus Ullmark. and the plan this summer is expected to include multiple options. Ullmark still has three seasons left on his current contract. but he missed 14 games and 35 days after taking a leave of absence to focus on his mental health.

That absence did not just create a gap on the depth chart. Ottawa also lost confidence in its backup situation. with neither Leevi Merilainen nor James Reimer able to provide much assurance while Ullmark was out. The need for improvement has become more urgent after Ottawa used five goaltenders during the 2025-26 season.

Now the discussion in Ottawa circles is centered on three specific paths.

One name generating speculation is Pittsburgh Penguins’ Stuart Skinner. He will be a UFA on July 1. and at 27 years old is expected to draw interest from multiple clubs if he hits the market. Ottawa has already been loosely connected to Skinner in offseason chatter. Skinner has struggled with consistency in Edmonton. but there remains belief that he could thrive in a reduced role behind an established starter like Ullmark.

A second possibility is Connor Ingram, a current Oilers goaltender who is also set to be a pending UFA. Ingram finished the 2025-26 season with a 16-10-3 record, posting a .899 save percentage and a 2.60 goals-against average. He has also shown he can handle backup duties throughout his career.

The third option is the one Ottawa could pursue without looking outside the organization. Bruce Garrioch believes Merilainen—who will be a restricted free agent on July 1—could be brought back. Garrioch points to how Merilainen struggled when he was thrust into the No. 1 role after Ullmark left the team, but argues he’s better suited to much fewer starts. The numbers he posted in that different usage are part of the case: in 2024-25. Merilainen went 8-3-1 and finished with a .913 save percentage and a 2.37 goals-against average. per Garrioch.

General manager Steve Staios hasn’t ruled out potentially bringing back the 23-year-old, but the Senators are expected to do their due diligence on the free agent market first.

Ullmark, the Senators know, is at his best as part of an effective tandem. The problem is that Ottawa didn’t have that reliability behind him for most of last season, and a second consecutive Round 1 loss in the Stanley Cup Playoffs only adds urgency to getting the pieces right ahead of 2026-27.

The tweak the organization is likely to make is clear: improving the backup position is one of a few changes Ottawa plans to explore as it tries to take another step forward.

Ottawa Senators Linus Ullmark Leevi Merilainen James Reimer Stuart Skinner Connor Ingram Steve Staios NHL goaltending 2026-27 season Stanley Cup Playoffs