Ottawa Senators News

Ersson has taken a backseat to Dan Vladar early in the 2025-26 season, due to Vladar's strong play. The 26-year-old Ersson is not expected to miss significant time, but his absence will further allow Vladar to make his case to be the starting goalie in Philadelphia. Erson has a 3.08 GAA and .876 SV% in four games this season (2-1-1). The Flyers have recalled Aleksei Kolosov from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL) in a corresponding move.

Kyrou was drafted 50th-overall by the Stars in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old Kyrou has yet to play an AHL game and could benefit from a change of scenery after struggling to establish himself at the AHL level. He had 15 points (4G / 11A) in 36 games with the Texas Stars (AHL) last season.

Jordan Spence will be inserted back into the Senators' lineup on Thursday against the Calgary Flames, sending Matinpalo to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 27-year-old Matinpalo is averaging 14:40 time-on-ice, recording seven blocks and 10 hits in seven games this season.

Nikolas Matinpalo will be a healthy scratch on Thursday against the Calgary Flames, allowing Spence to suit up for his fifth game of the season. The 24-year-old Spence has been impressive offensively in his first season with the Senators, scoring four points (0G / 4A) in four games.

Olle Lycksell will be a healthy scratch on Thursday against the Calgary Flames, allowing MacDermid to suit up for his fifth game of the season. The 31-year-old MacDermid is averaging 5:28 time-on-ice and has seven penalty minutes in four games.

Ottawa leads the league with 41 goals this season, an impressive stat mitigated by the fact that they have allowed an Eastern Conference-worst 44 goals. Goaltending has been an issue for the Senators early in the 2025-26 season, highlighted by an ugly 3.44 GAA and .858 SV% that Ullmark is sporting through nine games (4-4-1). The Senators enter Thursday's contest as -158 home favorites against a league-worst Calgary Flames team (2-8-1) that is being outscored 39-24.

With William Nylander (lower body) out of the lineup on Wednesday, Blais will make his season debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 29-year-old Blais spent the entirety of the 2024-25 season in the AHL, but is no stranger to the NHL, with 71 points (27G / 44A) in 257 career games.

Ersson has taken a backseat to Dan Vladar early in the 2025-26 season, due to Vladar's strong play. The 26-year-old Ersson is not expected to miss significant time, but his absence will further allow Vladar to make his case to be the starting goalie in Philadelphia. Erson has a 3.08 GAA and .876 SV% in four games this season (2-1-1).

Foegele exited the Kings' 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday early in the first period due to an upper-body injury after only 1:29 time-on-ice. The 29-year-old forward had a breakout campaign in 2024-25, his first season with the Kings, scoring 46 points (24G / 22A). He has not had the same offensive prowess early in 2025-26, averaging nearly three minutes less ice time per game and scoring only one point (1G / 0A) through 10 games.

The Flyers have seen success alternating goalies early in the 2025-26 season, off to a 4-3-1 start, and will turn to Ersson on Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 26-year-old Ersson has been outplayed by counterpart Dan Vladar, but has salvaged a 1-1-1 record despite an unspectacular 3.50 GAA and .861 SV%. The Flyers enter Tuesday's contest as -159 home favorites against a Penguins team that played last night, defeating the St. Louis Blues 6-3.

Ullmark had the night off on Monday, with the recently recalled Hunter Shepard serving as Leevi Merilainen's backup, but he returns to the crease on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The 32-year-old Ullmark has had an up-and-down start to the 2025-26 season, posting a 3.11 GAA and .870 SV% in eight games (4-3-1), but has been excellent in his last two games (2-0-0), saving 34 of 36 combined shots (.944 SV%).

Ottawa recalled Hunter Shepard from Belleville (AHL) on Monday to serve as the backup to Merilainen, as the team opts to give Linus Ullmark the night off on the front end of a back-to-back. Merilainen was excellent in limited action last season, posting a 1.99 GGA and .925 SV% in 12 appearances (8-3-1), but struggled immensely in his only outing this season, allowing seven goals on 26 shots (.731 SV%) in a blowout 8-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. The Senators enter Monday's contest as -167 home favorites against a Boston Bruins team coming off a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche.