- Senators re-signed goaltender Leevi Merilainen to a one-year, one-way deal worth $1.1 million
- The 23-year-old struggled as Linus Ullmark’s backup last season and got sent down to Belleville
- Read below for what the Samuel Ersson trade means for Merilainen’s spot on the depth chart
Leevi Merilainen is sticking around Ottawa. He just has a lot more competition than he did a year ago.
The Senators re-signed the 23-year-old goaltender to a one-year, one-way contract worth $1.1 million on Wednesday. GM Steve Staios locked up the restricted free agent to keep him in the organization through next season.
Ottawa made the deal official Wednesday:
Twelve months ago, Merilainen looked like the backup of the future in Ottawa. This time he is fighting just to stay in the picture.
He opened last season behind Ullmark but couldn’t hold the job. The Finnish netminder went 8-10-1 with a 3.51 goals-against average and an .860 save percentage across 20 games before the club sent him down to Belleville.
Merilainen was much sharper in the AHL, posting a .909 save percentage over 19 starts. He didn’t make it back to the NHL roster until the playoffs, and only as the third goalie.
Part of the reason his grip loosened: Ottawa went out and grabbed another goalie. The Senators acquired Samuel Ersson from the Maple Leafs last week and signed him to a two-year deal.
That one pushed Merilainen down the chart behind Ullmark and Ersson:
A one-way deal means Merilainen collects his $1.1 million whether he starts the year in Ottawa or Belleville. Drafted 71st overall back in 2020, he now has a full camp to prove he belongs in an NHL crease that got crowded in a hurry.
