In this edition of the Ottawa Senators News & Rumors, we look at some potential injury updates on goaltender Linus Ullmark, the status of Josh Norris as the preseason continues, as well as what the future holds for newly drafted defenseman Carter Yakemchuk.
Ullmark Dealing With Minor Injury
After a full summer of not worrying about the Senators’ goaltending for the first time in a very long time, some concerns are back for some of the fanbase who have been paying attention to the latest news out of the Senators’ morning skates, practices, and preseason lineups.
After not lacing up for the first preseason game, many were expecting goaltender Ullmark to play the second game and get his first 60 minutes under his best in the new uniform. The Senators acquired Ullmark in the offseason for Joonas Korpisalo, Mark Kastelic, and a draft pick, and he is looked at as the savior in the crease.
While it has been a long wait to see what Ullmark is capable of in Ottawa, the wait is getting just a touch longer as the goaltender did not participate in the morning skate ahead of the Sept. 24 preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Head coach Travis Green stated that Ullmark had missed a practice on Sept. 22 for a maintenance day, but is still missing from the group.
It isn’t time to worry yet. The beginning of preseason is when the quality veterans are getting accustomed to their role, and while Ullmark may be dealing with something, if it were a bigger issue, there would likely have been some transparency and an explanation from the club.
The more time he misses, the more worrisome many will get, but as it stands now, it isn’t something to lose sleep over.
Norris Still Not Ready
Though it is a very different situation than Ullmark, Norris is still not fully up to speed either. Norris has yet to be a full participant in all practices and hasn’t been mentioned for any line rushes or preseason lineups yet.
Norris did speak to the media just a few days ago, and reassured everyone that his shoulder is holding up and that he is in a much better place in his recovery than he was last offseason. As many remember vividly, Norris missed 32 games last season, and in the 50 games he did play, he wasn’t playing at the level he had been prior to the injury bug hitting him.
Norris’ third shoulder surgery causes some doubt about his long-term play, but…
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