Linus Ullmark is back in the crease, and the Ottawa Senators finally get a hopeful moment after weeks of uncertainty.

Ottawa confirmed Ullmark will start tonight against the New Jersey Devils, his first game since stepping away on personal leave in late December.

The Senators organization publicly backed Ullmark while he was away, pushing back on online speculation and making it clear he had full support.

That support matters, because personal leave can feel isolating even when a team says the right things.

For Bruins fans, there’s still a soft spot here. Ullmark was a big part of Boston’s identity between the pipes before he moved on.

Ottawa has been patching together starts without him, and it has felt like every game demanded extra goals just to survive.

Ullmark’s 2025-26 numbers show the grind. He sits with a 14-8-5 record, a 2.95 goals-against average, an .881 save percentage, and one shutout.

Still, he’s a former Vezina winner for a reason, he can steal a night when he’s settled.

Linus Ullmark officially returns with the Senators

It’s hard not to smile a little for him, because you could feel how much people just wanted him to be okay, not just “available.”

The Senators are 25-21-7, and they need steady saves now, not later, with the schedule squeezing and the standings tight.

The emotional part is going to be hard, shaking off rust while also carrying the weight of “welcome back, please fix everything.”

During his time away from the Senators, some heartbreaking rumors ended up surfacing on social media.

Seeing him back in the crease tonight is going to be a happy moment not just for Senators fans, but for Bruins fans as well.

Everyone in the NHL is human as well, and seeing him struggling like he did was heartbreaking.

Hopefully tonight Ullmark can pick up a win in his return.