Senators season preview: Ullmark key to push for postseason return 

The 2024-25 NHL season starts Oct. 4. With training camps underway, NHL.com is taking a look at the three keys, the inside scoop on roster questions, and the projected lineup for each of the 32 teams. Today, the Ottawa Senators.

Coach: Travis Green (first season)

Last season: 37-41-4; seventh place in Atlantic Division, did not qualify for Stanley Cup Playoffs

3 KEYS

1. Will Ullmark solve years of goaltending issues?

Since Ottawa last made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2017, the Senators have used 17 starting goalies, among them Craig Anderson, Filip Gustavsson, Matt Murray, Anton Forsberg, Cam Talbot and Joonas Korpisalo. As such, give Ottawa credit for being proactive in addressing its Achilles' heel by bringing in Linus Ullmark, who won the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie in the NHL with the Boston Bruins in 2022-23. The 31-year-old, acquired in a trade with the Bruins for Korpisalo, forward Mark Kastelic and a first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft (forward Dean Letourneau) on June 24, could be the biggest key to the Senators returning to the postseason. Ullmark was 22-10-7 with a 2.57 goals-against average, .915 save percentage and two shutouts in 40 games (39 starts) for Boston last season. He would provide a significant upgrade after Ottawa tied the Philadelphia Flyers for the League's lowest team save percentage (.884) last season, with Korpisalo and Anton Forsberg handling the majority of the work.

2. Green's no-nonsense approach

The Senators needed a new voice behind the bench. Enter Travis Green, hired as coach May 7. Ottawa lagged defensively at times last season, and that proved its biggest weakness next to goaltending. In his previous NHL coaching stints with the Vancouver Canucks and New Jersey Devils, Green was known for stressing accountability from his players, including the stars, so a change in culture should be evident. The 53-year-old, who has an NHL coaching record of 141-159-35 with the Canucks and Devils, also is known for his ability to develop young players and will attempt to get center Tim Stutzle back on track. The 22-year-old had 70 points (18 goals, 52 assists) in 75 games last season, 20 fewer than the 90 points (39 goals, 51 assists) he had in 78 games in 2022-23.

3. New ownership, new hope

Sept. 21 marked one year since Michael Andlauer, CEO of Andlauer Healthcare Group, became majority owner of the Senators. One of his first moves was to bring in Steve Staios, who was hired as interim general manager Nov. 1, then had the interim tag removed Dec. 31. Early reviews of the two are positive; Staios previously had worked for Andlauer-owned Hamilton of the Ontario Hockey League, and he and Andlauer appear to be on the same page regarding the direction the Senators should take, underscored by the acquisition of Ullmark. But Andlauer's impact cuts far deeper than just the on-ice product. Indeed, he celebrated his one-year anniversary with the Senators on Sept. 20 with the announcement that the franchise had come to a tentative agreement with the National Capital Commission to purchase a package of land in downtown Ottawa in LeBreton Flats, just a slap shot away from the Canadian Parliament buildings, for the site of a potential new arena. It's huge for the future vibrancy of the team, which now plays about 17 miles to the west at Canadian Tire Centre.

ROSTER RUNDOWN

Making the cut

The biggest battle at camp seems to be focussed on an open spot among the bottom six forwards. If the Senators want extra muscle, they could turn to Zack MacEwen (6-foot-4, 240 pounds); if they opt to send him to Belleville of the American Hockey League, he'd have to clear waivers. Adam Gaudette, who has 220 games of NHL experience, is another option. Among the younger players, keep an eye on 24-year-old left wing Angus Crookshank, who made his NHL debut last season and had three points (two goals, one assist) in 13 games.

Most intriguing addition

Ullmark is the obvious one here and rightly so, but the addition of veteran forward David Perron also could turn out to be a shrewd move. The 36-year-old has 768 points (310 goals, 458 assists) in 1,131 NHL games and joins fellow 36-year-old forward Claude Giroux as the most experienced players on a relatively young team. Not only has Perron scored at least 15 goals in each of the past eight seasons, he plays with a competitive edge that can get under the skin of opponents. Perron, who helped the St. Louis Blues win the Stanley Cup in 2019, signed a two-year, $8 million contract ($4 million average annual value) on July 1.

Biggest potential surprise

Is this the season center Josh Norris returns to form? The 25-year-old signed an eight-year, $63.6 million contract ($7.95 million AAV) on July 14, 2022, after he had NHL career highs in goals (35), assists (20) and points (55) in 2021-22. Since then, he has struggled to produce offensively and stay healthy; he's played 58 games the past two seasons, during which he had 33 points (18 goals, 15 assists). He's coming off the third shoulder surgery of his NHL career, the latest in March, which has led to questions about his durability. The bottom line is Norris is being paid like a top-end forward but has not produced like one. Now he has the opportunity to show the Senators they can reap the benefit of putting their financial faith in him.

Ready to contribute

Defenseman Tyler Kleven continues to ascend in the organization and appears poised to take the next step this season. The second-round pick (No. 44) in the 2020 NHL Draft has played 17 NHL games the past two seasons, and has three assists. He's also a minus-2 during that span, a respectable total playing for a team that struggled defensively during that time. At 22, he could earn a full-time NHL role this season and should fit nicely with how Green wants tighter play in the defensive zone.

Fantasy sleeper

Jake Sanderson, D (average draft position: 135.0) -- Sanderson has reached 30 points in each of his two NHL seasons and has the potential to be a draft steal this season in fantasy. Sanderson is expected to have a larger role with Ottawa this season, including a spot on the top power-play unit. The Senators have sneaky offensive potential; they averaged 31.7 shots on goal last season, 10th in the NHL. -- Anna Dua

PROJECTED LINEUP

Brady Tkachuk -- Tim Stutzle -- Claude Giroux

Josh Norris -- Shane Pinto -- Drake Batherson

David Perron -- Ridly Greig -- Nick Cousins

Noah Gregor -- Stephen Halliday -- Michael Amadio

Jake Sanderson -- Artem Zub

Thomas Chabot -- Nick Jensen

Tyler Kleven -- Jacob Bernard-Docker

Linus Ullmark

Anton Forsberg