Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark returned to practice at Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday, his first since he and Team Sweden were eliminated on Monday at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Ullmark was his usual self during a long session with the local media, providing thoughtful, interesting answers about his time at the 4 Nations, his road back to health, and his expectations for the Senators as they prepare for the final 26 games of the NHL regular season.
And his usual self almost always includes that famous quirky sense of humor. He was asked by TSN 1200’s Gord Wilson where he is physically right now.
"I'm right here in this locker room," Ullmark said.
He then confidently grinned at Wilson, cat to canary, as if to say, "How do you like that one?" He then provided a proper health update.
"No, it's been all right. It's been all right. Obviously, it was a long travel day yesterday, so today's definitely a little bit rusty coming in. But I think that tomorrow—or depending on what the schedule is for tomorrow—I think it's going to feel a bit better."
Ullmark says the break was great for the team, but in his case, continuing to practice and play through the break was beneficial for him.
"That's why I'm here today, because I feel that I needed to go back out there and keep pounding away so I can get the reps that I need before Saturday and then onwards towards the next ones."
Ullmark missed a month and a half with a back injury and says he hated being on the sideline.
"Absolutely brutal. It sucks. It's not something you want to do in your first year or second year or whatever years. It just happens. You know, I'd like to bring out a couple of other words into this mix, but I'm trying to be mature. But at the same time, it's frustrating in a way. I'm not going to lie. It's frustrating for everyone that goes through it."
There was also some frustration over the past week and a half regarding Team Sweden’s results at the 4 Nations, but Ullmark, despite playing only part of one game, still enjoyed the experience.
"It was a lot of fun," Ullmark said. "It was a lot of fun being there and getting to enjoy it and all those sorts of things. I'm not happy with the results. It goes to show how tough it is. We had two overtime losses and one win, but we still didn't make it to the finals. Unfortunately for us, that's why I'm here today, standing before you. I would have wished I could be in Boston at the moment, preparing for tomorrow's (championship) game."
As the Senators come out of the break on Saturday, hosting the Montreal Canadiens, Ullmark was asked if there are any parallels between this group and the Boston Bruins, the team he spent the last three years with. Ullmark believes there's a sense of pride that's starting to settle in with the team.
"It's not just, 'You play for the Ottawa Senators,' it's that 'I love playing for the Senators.' And with that comes expectations. Not just from the outside, but from within. Not just from yourself, but from your teammates and coaches. And to have those expectations, you've got to have honesty. And we're getting there."
If Ullmark's game down the stretch can be as elite as his character and leadership in the room, Sens fans are in for an exciting spring.
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