The Senators' Goalie Situation Could Get Interesting

The Ottawa Senators would probably rather have Linus Ullmark back in the crease, but there's no reason to rush things. In the meantime, Samuel Ersson is getting another opportunity to show what he can do, and Ottawa has an interesting little goaltending story developing.

Ullmark won't be available for Tuesday's game against Washington. The veteran is still recovering from a lower-body injury, and head coach Travis Green has decided to give him a couple of extra days rather than risk bringing him back too soon.

That's understandable. Before going on injured reserve, Ullmark was having an outstanding season. He had a 7-1-0 record, a 1.33 goals-against average and a .945 save percentage. Those are the kind of numbers that make you appreciate what a healthy starting goalie can mean to a hockey club.

Related: Chabot’s Return Gives the Senators More Than a Defenceman

Ersson Gets Another Chance in Ottawa's Crease.

For now, Ersson has the job. He'll make his third straight start Tuesday against the Capitals, and there's a little encouragement in how things have gone recently. The 27-year-old struggled through his first six appearances without recording a win. However, he's now riding a three-game winning streak. His overall numbers are still fairly ordinary: a 3-3-1 record, a 3.14 GAA, and an .889 save percentage over nine appearances.

Still, sometimes a goalie needs a little stretch of success to settle down. Three straight wins won't suddenly make Ersson Ottawa's answer in net, but they might build his confidence and give the coaching staff something to think about.

A Young Senators’ Goalie Gets His First NHL Look.

There's another interesting piece to this story. Jackson Parsons, just 21, has been called up from Belleville and will serve as Ersson's backup against Washington. It's his first NHL call-up. That's an opportunity worth watching, even if he doesn't get into the game. Getting around an NHL team, working with the coaching staff and seeing the pace up close can be valuable experience for a young goalie.

Ottawa's preference is obviously to get Ullmark healthy and back between the pipes. His early-season performance showed how important he can be to this team. But there is no need to make Tuesday's game bigger than it is. Ersson gets another start, Parsons gets his first taste of the NHL, and Ullmark gets a little more time to recover.

For Senators fans, the encouraging part is that the club has options while it waits for its established starter. The next few days should tell us a little more about how this goaltending situation settles down.

Related: Senators Samuel Ersson May Be More Important Than Expected