Ullmark stopped 31 of 32 shots in the Senators win over the Panthers on Thursday. He is expected to make a second straight start Saturday in Montreal, who are 1-1-0 in their first two games. The Senators are -155 road favourites.
The 24-year-old will have to fend off newcomer Ivan Fedotov for playing time this season, but Ersson appears to have the slight edge heading into game one of 82. Ersson had some bright moments in 2023-24 but struggled as a whole, posting an .890 SV% and a 2.82 GAA across 51 appearances. He draws a brutal first assignment against the Canucks, who scored five goals on 24 shots in their overtime loss to the Flames on Wednesday. The Flyers enter action as +160 underdogs in Vancouver.
The 24-year-old will have to fend off newcomer Ivan Fedotov for playing time this season, but Ersson appears to have the slight edge heading into game one of 82. Ersson had some bright moments in 2023-24 but struggled as a whole, posting an .890 SV% and a 2.82 GAA across 51 appearances. He draws a brutal first assignment against the Canucks, who scored five goals on 24 shots in their overtime loss to the Flames on Wednesday. The Flyers enter action as +160 underdogs in Vancouver.
Days after signing a freshly minted four-year, $33 million contract extension, Ullmark will debut for the Senators in their season opener on Thursday against the Florida Panthers. Before being traded to the Senators, Ullmark enjoyed tremendous success in his three years in Boston, including a Vezina Trophy and William Jennings Trophy in 2023. He went 88-26-10 with a 2.28 GAA and .924 SV% in 130 games with the Bruins. The Senators enter action as +119 home underdogs against a Panthers club that defeated the Boston Bruins 6-4 in their season opener on Tuesday.
In the final year of his contract, Ullmark has signed a massive contract extension with the Ottawa Senators before even playing his first regular season game in their uniform. Ullmark was acquired by the Senators along with a first-round pick in the offseason in a trade that sent Jonas Korpisalo and Mark Kastelic to the Boston Bruins. Ullmark enjoyed tremendous success in his three years in Boston, including a Vezina Trophy and William Jennings Trophy in 2023. He went 88-26-10 with. A 2.28 GAA and .924 SV% in 130 games with the Bruins while splitting time with Jeremy Swayman.
With Ondrej Palat stepping away from the team due to the birth of his second child, Kurtis MacDaermid will make his season debut on Saturday in Prague vs. Buffalo. The 30-year-old bruising left-winger came to New Jersey mid season in 2023-24 and had two goals, three points and 73 PIMs in 45 total games played.
Zub has been battling a lower-body during training camp but will suit up on Tuesday, which is a good sign that he'll be available for the Senators' season opener (Oct.10). Zub is coming off of the best season of his career, posting 25 points (5G / 20A), 139 hits and 122 blocked shots while averaging 21:01 TOI/GM in 69 games.
Tomasino was a first-rounder in 2019 but has yet to become a full-time NHLer with the Predators. Last year, he once again split his campaign between the NHL and AHL, recording 20 points (7G / 13A) in 41 games with Nashville. During his time in Milwaukee (AHL), he had 18 points (11G / 7A) in 22 games. Following the additions of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault in the offseason, Tomasino is going to be battling for a bottom-6 spot in the lineup in training camp.
Fresh off his first career Stanley Cup victory, Nick Cousins has signed a one-year, $800,000 contract to go to the Ottawa Senators. The 31-year-old is impressively entering his 11th NHL season with his seventh different team. In 2023-24, he had seven goals, 15 points, 64 PIMs and 111 SOG in 69 games played with Florida.
Yakemchuk was Ottawa's 2024 1st round pick (7th overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Tuesday. The 18-year-old defenseman has spent the last three seasons with Calgary (WHL) and shot his way up draft boards in 2023-24 after scoring 30 goals and 71 points in 66 games played. He is expected to return to Calgary for the 2024-25 season.
Spence was rewarded for his first full season with Los Angeles by signing a two-year, $3 million contract ($1,500,000 AAV). The 23-year-old Australian defenseman was Los Angeles' 2019 4th round pick (95th overall) and took a massive step forward in 2023-24 with two goals, 24 points, 80 SOG and a +5 plus/minus through 71 games played.
Ottawa added to its prospect pool on Monday after it acquired Xavier Bourgault and Jake Chiasson from Edmonton for Roby Jarventie and a 2025 4th round pick. The 21-year-old Bourgault was Edmonton's 2021 1st round pick (22nd overall) but has failed to succeed as expected after putting up only eight goals and 20 points in 55 games played with Bakersfield (AHL) in 2023-24.
Ottawa drafted Matthew Andonovski in the 5th round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft (140th overall) and has signed him to a three-year, entry-level contract. The 19-year-old defenseman just completed his third season in Kitchener (OHL) and had seven goals and 32 points in 65 games played.
After serving a 41-game suspension for gambling, Pinto had 27 points (9G / 18A) in 41 games upon making his season debut on January 21st. The 23-year-old will serve as the team's No.2 centre behind Tim Stützle and will look to build on the 19-goal and 22-assist per 82-game pace he's set in his first two full seasons.
Iowa (AHL) gained more depth pieces on Tuesday as Minnesota signed Cameron Crotty to a one-year, two-way contract on Tuesday. The 25-year-old managed to appear in one NHL game with Arizona in 2023-24 but spent the majority of the season with Tucson (AHL) where he had three goals and 13 points in 55 games played.
Fresh off the best season of his seven-year career and a Stanley Cup Finals appearance, Warren Foegele has signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract ($3.5M AAV) with Los Angeles. The 28-year-old ended 2023-24 with career highs in goals (20), assists (21), PIMs (47), and SOG (201) across 82 games played.
Amadio will join his fifth NHL team in eight years after he agreed to sign a three-year deal worth $7.8 million ($2.6M AAV) with Ottawa. The 28-year-old centre completed his second consecutive 27-point (14G/13A) campaign in 2023-24.
Ullmark is headed into the final year of his contract that carries a $5.0M AAV cap-hit. Ullmark enjoyed tremendous success in his three years in Boston, including a Vezina Trophy and William Jennings Trophy in 2023. He went 88-26-10 with. A 2.28 GAA and .924 SV% in 130 games with the Bruins while splitting time with Jeremy Swayman. In Ottawa, he becomes the unquestioned No.1 net minder and should set a career-high in games played in 2024-25.
Cousins appeared in the Panthers' lineup for Game 6 for the first time since May 26th but will come back out on Monday as he is replaced by Kyle Okposo. The 30-year-old had seven goals and 15 points in 69 regular season games but has failed to produce at all in the playoffs with only one assist and 20 PIMs in 12 playoff games played.
