Veteran netminder Hunter Shepard, a two-time champion in both the AHL and NCAA, joins Ottawa to give Linus Ullmark a full day off.
The Senators recalled goaltender Hunter Shepard from their AHL affiliate in Belleville on Monday morning. It's a headline that, at a glance, is sure to spark concerns about more NHL goaltending injuries, which have plagued the Sens the last few seasons.
But that's not the case here, and the Senators want to keep it that way. This move is all about load management, ensuring that Linus Ullmark gets a full day off on Monday, no matter what.
Leevi Merilainen will start on Monday at home against Ullmark's old team, the Boston Bruins. Rather than have Ullmark go through the game day skate, then sit on the bench and risk that he might be called into action, Shepard will handle that role, ensuring Ullmark gets some R and R.
It's wise for the Senators to be so meticulous with their veteran netminder's schedule. He was injury-prone last season, and just started his new 4-year, $33 million contract. Ullmark has started five games in a row now, and even tried his hand at scrapping on Saturday night, so the Sens decided a day off was in order.
Shepard, meanwhile, is off to another fine AHL start with a 2-1-0 record, a 2.69 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. Over the weekend, he won twice on the road in Toronto against the Marlies. In those two games, he stopped 49 of 53 shots.
Frankly, it's surprising that no one has given Shepard a longer look in the NHL because championships truly follow this guy around. He won the Calder Cup twice with the Hershey Bears in 2023 and 2024. He also won back-to-back NCAA Championships with Minnesota-Duluth in 2018 and 2019.
Despite this, the 29-year-old went undrafted and has appeared in only 5 NHL games with the Washington Capitals. His one NHL appearance in April last season resembled Charlie Lindgren's on Saturday as the Capitals fell 7-1 to the Senators. Shepard also gave up seven in a 7-0 loss to Columbus. He signed with the Sens as a free agent a few months later.
But goaltending injuries are part of this story, at least from an organizational standpoint. Yes, they've started again.
Mads Sogaard seemed to be the probable next man up for Ottawa, but he got hurt against the Marlies on Sunday. Sogaard left the game after being run over by Jacob Qullian, knocking him backward into his net. Quillan has been Calamity Jake against the Sens. He's the same player who was involved in the Nick Cousins knee injury last season.
The Senators will begin a two-game homestand on Monday when they host the Boston Bruins at Canadian Tire Centre. It's a 7:30 pm start time (Prime TV).
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