Ottawa Senators’ Mads Sogaard is Ready For the Call

Although not stated outright, it’s expected that goaltender Mads Sogaard will be starting in net for the Ottawa Senators this Friday.

In a roundabout way, Mads Sogaard is a piece of the trade that keeps on giving for the Ottawa Senators.

Selected 37th overall in the 2019 Entry Draft, the Senators moved a conditional second-round pick acquired from the San Jose Sharks in the Erik Karlsson deal, along with an additional second-rounder received in the Filip Gustavsson/Derick Brassard swap with the Penguins to Carolina in order to move up seven spots to nab Sogaard.

Now fast forward two-plus seasons later, while it’s not confirmed, it’s anticipated the 21-year old will make his NHL playing debut Friday evening at the Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit.

At his post-trade deadline availability, Senators general manager Pierre Dorion mentioned at some juncture, Sogaard would play in a game or two prior to the end of the season. To this effect, the native of Aalborg, Denmark was recalled Sunday from the club’s American League affiliate, Belleville, in a transaction that saw Gustavsson re-assigned to the AHL.

Sogaard himself, while not openly saying he’s getting the start Friday, appears to prepping as if it’s a done deal.

“I try to go through a normal day before a game. I got called up here for a reason. I think it’s about continuing on that path and try to do the same thing…This is something I’ve worked for my entire life. Obviously, you think a bit more about it. Like I said, I’m just trying to prepare the same way and get ready for a big game,” said the netminder post-practice Thursday in Detroit.

Senators head coach D.J. Smith was also coy by not naming his starter for the game.

“Let’s be clear here – I believe he’s a 2000-born – and that’s a young goalie in pro hockey. And it takes a long time for these guys to be ready, and we’ll put him in the right scenario, but he looked good today.”

With a game Sunday afternoon in Ottawa, and Anton Forsberg playing four straight games (including nine of the past eleven), the goalie can use a couple of more days rest.

The 2021-22 season has been an up and down one for Sogaard. Having battled through a pair of injuries, the goaltender has posted a 2.87 goals-against average, .907 save percentage, posting a 16-13-1 record for the B-Sens.

The season prior, Sogaard was victorious in all seven of his AHL starts upon his arrival in after choosing to remain in Denmark rather than returning to his Western League Medicine Hat Tigers junior squad.

Sogaard led all Denmark Metal Ligaen goalies in save percentage (.922), guiding his Esjeberg squad to the league semi-final.

At six-foot-seven, 200-pounds, Sogaard uses his size to his advantage.

Making his AHL debut May 2, 2021, the backstop explained to Full Press Hockey at the time, “The biggest thing for me is using my size to my advantage. I think it’s getting better and better. I’m getting comfortable. I’m such a big guy. Where I think I can separate myself is on my movement. – not from moving laterally, but also post to post. You know, generally, just moving well. So that was a big focus. I also put a lot of focus on tracking the puck. It sounds super simple, but I really bear down on that. Every single time, every single rep in practice, just make sure that you do that, and create good habits.”

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Full Press Hockey offers our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Senators’ owner Eugene Melnyk and to the entire Senators’ organization on his passing. Mr. Melnyk was a passionate owner, philanthropist, and hockey fan.