In the midst of the playoff race, the Ottawa Senators must deal with the absence of their No. 1 goaltender Linus Ullmark, whose return date remains unknown. General manager Steve Staios will feel the pressure to make a move to keep his team in contention.
The problem for Staios is that the goalie market currently has little to offer, as noted by noted Ottawa Citizen journalist Bruce Garrioch, who made a few calls to take the pulse of activity across the National League hockey (NHL).
“After checking with an executive and an informant, the names mentioned to us are John Gibson of Anaheim, Cayden Primeau of Montreal and James Reimer of Buffalo,” Garrioch said in a recent column.
Primeau would thus be available, which in itself is not very surprising. The goaltender was not claimed on waivers, but a team could prefer to acquire him through a trade, just to part with a contract in return
The 25-year-old American did well in his first start this season with the Laval Rocket last Friday, stopping 27 pucks in a 2-1 victory over the Abbotsford Canucks at Place Bell.
Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes is not obligated to move on from Primeau, however, if he refuses to rush the development of Jakub Dobes.
It was thanks to Ullmark’s prowess that the Senators seemed on track to end their seven-year drought without making the playoffs, but times are tougher in the absence of the star goaltender.
Travis Green’s squad has lost four of its last five games and was robbed of its position as the second team drafted in the East by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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