Unfortunately, there’s no timetable for the return of injured goalie Linus Ullmark, or forwards David Perron and Michael Amadio.
Published Jan 12, 2025 • Last updated 2 hours ago • 4 minute read
Steady as she goes for the Ottawa Senators.
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Steve Staios is confident his club had made a step in the right direction as it passed the midway point of the season on Sunday against the Dallas Stars, and he’s satisfied the Senators will push for a playoff spot this spring.
Trying to make the playoffs for the first time in eight years, Staois stated before the season that it was incumbent on the likes of captain Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Josh Norris, Thomas Chabot, Ridly Greig, Shane Pinto, Jake Sanderson and Drake Batherson to raise their games.
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Thus far, Staios and coach Travis Green have been pleased with what they’ve witnessed.
“We’re eight points ahead of where (we were) last year at this time,” the club’s president of hockey operations and general manager told reporters at the Canadian Tire Centre before facing the Stars. “I challenged our group for internal growth as individuals and as a team.
“We’ve seen a level of that for sure. I’m pleased with the commitment to two-way hockey from our group, especially on the defensive side. That’s a step in the right direction. If you ask (coach) Travis (Green), they’re a coachable group. There’s a lot of character in that room that wants to get better. That’s part of the growth of this team.”
But if you were hoping to get a timetable on when goaltender Linus Ullmark or forwards Michael Amadio and David Perron may play again, then you’ll be disappointed because Staios didn’t offer much of an update.
One of the biggest concerns is Ullmark.
He suffered a back injury on Dec. 22 and left a game against the Edmonton Oilers after the first period. Ullmark resumed skating on his own on Friday, but missed his eighth straight game with Dallas in town.
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“They’re all progressing and Linus has been on the ice the last couple of days,” Staios said when asked about Ullmark, Amadio and Perron. “I don’t have a specific timeline and I apologize for that.
“We feel like all of them are sooner rather than later.”
The injury to Ullmark hasn’t prompted Staios to go out to find a goalie because he’s confident in Leevi Merilianen, backup Anton Forsberg and Belleville callup Mads Sogaard.
“I’m comfortable with our depth,” he said. “I don’t think that would be … having (Forsberg), Leevi and Sogaard able to come up as well, I think we”re comfortable with where we are.”
Pressed later in the news conference for a more specific timetable on the injured players, Staios said: “If they’re putting in the work like I know they are, (it) gives me optimism that we’ll get them back and they’ll have a good impact for us in the second half.”
Fair enough, and the Senators have stayed in the hunt without them, which is why Staios has been pleased with the club’s performance.
The club halted a four-game losing skid with a 5-0 victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday. The depth of the defence has been tested because of injuries to Travis Hamonic and Jacob Bernard-Docker.
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It has been an issue since training camp and something Staios has been trying to address, studying the waiver wire and trade options, but he hasn’t been able to find the right deal.
Staios has studied the defensive market across the National Hockey League with other general managers and he’s found it tough to make a deal because not many teams have separated themselves from the pack.
“When you look at the standings and everybody seems to be still in it, that makes it a bit more challenging for anybody to (make a deal),” Staios said. “As far