Former Ottawa Senators Goalie Signs a PTO With the Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks signed goaltender Dylan Ferguson to a professional tryout agreement on Sunday. With Thatcher Demko and Arturs Silovs coming off knee injuries, the former Ottawa Senator will provide a little insurance policy at camp.

Ferguson played in the KHL last season with Dynamo Minsk and has two intriguing ties to the Ottawa Senators.

After the Sens lost popular defenceman Marc Methot in the 2017 Vegas expansion draft, the Golden Knights flipped him to the Dallas Stars for Ferguson and a second-round draft pick.

Ferguson was also part of Ottawa's seven-headed monster in goal during the 2023-24 season. So we decided to look back on who those goalies were, and where they are now.

1. Cam Talbot

Talbot was the club's number one, starting 36 games that season. It was Talbot's only year with the Senators, who acquired him from the Minnesota Wild straight up for Filip Gustavsson. The Sens then let Talbot walk into free agency last summer. He signed with the LA Kings last year and the Detroit Red Wings for this season.

2. Anton Forsberg

Forsberg got into 28 games before Edmonton Oilers forward Zack Hyman fell on him during a battle in the crease. He suffered injuries to both knees on the play, ending his season. After Forsberg and Joonas Korpisalo had terrible seasons, both statistically among the worst in the NHL, Forsberg returns as the clear number two behind newcomer Linus Ullmark. The two Swedes were a tandem for Modo back in 2014.

3. Mads Sogaard

With Talbot and Forsberg missing so much action due to injury, Mads Sogaard played in 19 games. Sogaard's numbers were excellent in Belleville last season, and he's in line for an NHL job by next season at the latest. With Ullmark and Forsberg both scheduled to be UFAs next summer, and Sogaard scheduled to make one-way NHL money next season, it's almost time to release the Great Dane.

4. Kevin Mandolese

Mandolese got into three games with the Senators. Mando played out of his mind in his NHL debut, making 46 saves, including five in overtime, in a 3-2 shootout road victory against the New York Islanders. Last season, he was part of a trio in Belleville, splitting time with Sogaard and Merilainen. The Senators dealt Mandolese to Colorado this summer for a seventh-round pick.

5. Dylan Ferguson

6. Leevi Merilainen

With Mandolese gone, and Sogaard one injury away from the show, Merilainen is expected to see plenty of action in Belleville this season. It was concerning to see him miss the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo due to injury, though. At this time of year, perhaps the Sens were being overcautious, keeping him out of prospect games that don't matter.

7. Magnus Hellberg

2022 was quite a year for Hellberg:

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Hellberg got into one game and was outstanding, even getting a big ovation during his live post-game rinkside interview with TSN.

You'd think it would be bad news when you have to start seven goalies, but that was the Ottawa Senators' best season in the past seven years.