Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
It’s not rare to see NHL goaltenders take their frustration out on their stick if things aren’t going their way. Senators netminder Linus Ullmark did exactly that while practicing on Thursday, but he went out of his way to make sure no one else would have to deal with the mess he left behind.
The Ottawa Senators headed into the current NHL season hoping to snap a playoff drought stretching back to 2018, and barring a catastrophic collapse, they’ll end up punching their ticket to the postseason when you consider they have a five-point lead over the Canadiens for the first wild card spot up for grabs in the Eastern Conference (MoneyPuck currently gives them a 98.3% chance of making the cut).
The club has gotten a boost from the addition of Linus Ullmark, the former Bruins goalie who was forced to end his bromance with Jeremy Swayman after Boston shipped the recipient of the 2023 Vezina Trophy off to Ottawa after salary issues forced them to break up the best tandem the NHL had to offer.
Plenty of Bruins fans would tell you the team bet on the wrong guy based on what’s transpired this season, as Swayman’s lackluster play was one of the many reasons Ullmark’s former team essentially waved the white flag at the trade deadline during a campaign where he’s posted a 21-14-3 record in the 40 games he’s played for the Senators.
That’s not to say there haven’t been some setbacks for Ullmark, which includes what was apparently a rough outing at practice on Thursday as he geared up for his start against the Lightning.
According to the reporter who was covering the morning skate for TSN 1200, Ullmark smashed his stick on the boards while leaving the ice after having a conversation with the team’s goaltending coach.
However, he took the time to ensure his outburst wouldn’t end up inconveniencing an employee tasked with cleaning up the debris by returning to the bench with a vacuum he used to clean up the splinters himself.
Linus Ullmark has returned to the Ottawa bench with a vacuum to clean up the splinters from the stick he smashed on the boards moments ago. pic.twitter.com/vuDhOiqXxO
— TSN 1200 Ottawa (@TSN1200) April 3, 2025
What a guy.