On Tuesday, Ullmark told TSN's Claire Hanna that his leave of absence was about mental health, not the ugly rumors that followed him online. He was visibly emotional while explaining why he stepped away.

Ottawa first announced the leave on Dec. 28, calling it personal reasons and stressing he had full organizational support. Senators GM Steve Staios later pushed back publicly against “false stories” circulating online.

The stunning part was Ullmark connecting the timeline back to his move from Boston, saying the struggle started building after he was traded and never really stopped.

Bruins fans remember how steady he looked when everything clicked in 2022-23, when he went 40-6-1 with a 1.89 goals against average and a .938 save percentage, then won the Vezina. Those numbers still jump off the page.

Linus Ullmark states mental health problems began during his time with the Bruins

Ullmark also highlighted how quickly the internet fills in blanks and how that noise can land on families when a player is already struggling. That point felt as real as it gets.

The Senators have tried to keep the focus where it belongs, privacy and support, while he works through it. Even on a big contract, that human piece has to come first.

On the hockey side, he had posted a 14-8-5 record with a 2.95 goals against average and an .881 save percentage before the leave. It's not vintage Ullmark, but it shows the workload he carried.

This is bigger than one team, and bigger than one rough stretch in net. If Ullmark's honesty helps even one player or fan take mental health seriously, that's a win worth more than two points.