The Ottawa Senators are entering a crucial phase of their season, sitting just one point out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
With every game carrying playoff implications, Saturday’s matinee matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning felt like a must-win. Instead, the game ended in a 4-2 loss and a wave of debate across the NHL world.
How Linus Ullmark’s Absence Sparked an NHL-Wide Debate
The biggest storyline wasn’t just the loss: It was the absence of the starting goaltender. The decision to “rest” Linus Ullmark for such a critical March 28 showdown caught fans and media off guard, especially given the stakes in the playoff race.
Despite Ottawa coming off a busy stretch, many expected their $8.25 million franchise goalie to face a high-powered Lightning lineup. Instead, head coach Travis Green turned to the veteran backup.
Following the defeat, Green was blunt about the situation: “I want to play Linus every night. But he needed a rest and he wasn’t available to start tonight.”
That explanation only intensified the conversation. Just 48 hours earlier, Ullmark had delivered a 38-shot performance in a shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins and told reporters: “Now we’re getting into the heat of the moment where boys will be men… time to rise to the occasion.”
Since returning from the Olympic break, Ullmark’s workload has been heavy. The Senators have played 15 games, and he started 12 of them, including stretches of five straight games, four straight, back-to-backs, and three of four leading into the Tampa Bay matchup. All of it came within 31 days and included travel.
Still, some fans pointed out the irony of calling for players to “rise” and then missing the next pivotal contest.
Ottawa Senators reporter Jack Richardson pushed back against those dismissing concerns: “See some people getting shamed here for ‘overreacting’… This last stretch is a bunch of playoff games and they just dropped 2/3 of them. It’s like going down 2-0 in a series.”
“The Coming In Hot” podcast also questioned the impact of the decision, asking, “Did Linus Ullmark undo all the goodwill he’d earned over the last month by not making himself available for today’s pivotal clash in Tampa?”
Analyst Chris Nosek took the opposite stance: “Saying Ullmark not playing in this game was the problem is a very weak take, JUST STOP. Fake shock that a coach wants to start their starting goaltender every game is just dumb.”
Since returning from the Olympic break, the Sens have played 15 games (not including 3.28), and Ullmark has played 12 of them.
This stretch includes: 5 in a row, 4 in a row, a set of back-to-backs, and 3 of their last 4 heading into the game on 3.28. He did all of this over the…— Chris Nosek (@cnosek6342) March 29, 2026
Meanwhile, The Hockey News editor Steve Warne suggested there was more to the story: “I don’t believe for a moment that Green started Reimer over Ullmark today just as a coach’s choice. There’s a reason.”
Everyday Sens outlet weighed in, noting the timing felt difficult to justify. “There are 10 games left and Ottawa is clinging to their playoff hopes. Need your $8.25M goalie in net. Find a way. Was also gone for a month- the body shouldn’t be that exhausted.”
With time running out, the Senators now have just nine games left, and teams behind them are closing in on the wild-card spot. The margin for error is shrinking fast.
Ottawa’s next test comes Tuesday against the Florida Panthers, another game that could shape their postseason fate.