Toggle sidebar

Prospect Info: 71st Overall Leevi Merilainen G, Fin, Karpat Jr

  • Work is still on-going to rebuild the site styling and features. Please report any issues you may experience so we can look into it. Click Here for Updates
He is going to have some bad games. Other teams will not be surprised or unprepared - they will be breaking down video on him. But he is just such a cool cucumber. Stoned them in the shoot-out.

I wanted to see him in a shoot-out last game, and he did not disappoint going head to head with Swayman.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DylanSensFan and DrEasy
Micklebot said:
When we picked him, we had Soogard, Daccord, Mandolese, Hogberg, and Gustavsson in the system, two of them panned out pretty good, maybe we're a goalie factory now?
Click to expand...
He reminds me a lot of Gustavsson. Very calm and quiet demeanor. We gave up on Gus too soon and he has been stellar in Minny.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gab6511
Surprisingly, our backups are now even at 11-11.

I wonder what type of deal they will want to go with Merilainen this summer. Short term and cheap to have more room next year, or maybe something longer if they really believe in him.
 
Haven’t posted here in a very, very long time. Stayed up late at nights watching games here in Sweden during my uni years about 10 years ago. The memories of trying to not wake up family up during our playoff run to the conference finals back in the days will last forever.

Have been lurking since then but still been watching every game(day after when coming home from work, keeping away from the result).

I haven’t had as much confidence in a young goalie as I have in him, not any other back up we’ve had for long time. His calmness and ways of reading the game is highly impressive considering his age. Do also like how he comes across on interviews. Has a shy northern Scandinavian vibe to him, almost seems a bit nervous based on facial expressions when questions are asked to him but answers in a calm and collected way.

As someone mentioned, felt like it was an off day when he left the fourth goal in and that might make him fold. Didnt feel he could done much on the previous goals, except for perhaps the Pastrnak goal.

As much as last night was a statement win for the team, it felt the same for Levi considering the emotion and the genuine playoff feeling which we’ve been depraved of. Haven’t yelled as loud as at the Norris’ goal since 2017.

Bit of a wall of text here but Levi has made me do it, I truly hope we’ve finally found a solid foundation in Ullmark and Merilainen for years to come.

As awful we have been quite some time, I think the lack of trust in our goalies have been a big problem with our defence. It’s night and day nowadays, we feel shaky when Forsberg(just waive/trade him please) plays due to his inconsistency. If Levi is sent down now when Ullmark is returning, I’d understand the reasoning, but think it would be a mistake since full confidence in both our goalies are needed for a playoff push.

Long may this continue.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Dionysus, DrEasy, OD99 and 12 others
Usually, when your team scores, the goalie hunkers down in his net and stays there,. this kid, when Ottawa would score, he would skate to his bench and fist pump the team as the players on the ice are celebrating in their little scrum at the opposite end of the ice.....this will not be shown on TV, but being there you see these little things. This kid cares. What an incredible piece we have here.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BonHoonLayneCornell, Icelevel and guyzeur
ACLEVERNAME said:
Ullmark for 4 years is a chefs kiss if Meriläinen continues this projectory. Solid 60-40 tandem with the eventual changing of arms at year 3-4.

Haven't been this exited in Sens overall goaltending since ever probably.
Click to expand...

Leevi is exactly what we need right now, an RFA goalies who can be bridged through Ullmark's contract, and then get his big payday in 4 years.

Unless Ullmark doesn't come back and Leevi plays 30+ games at .915+, they can likely get him at 1.5M-2.5M on a 2-4 year term. Going 4 years off of a very small sample size would be risky, but if it works out it means they have a tandem locked in at around 11M and don't have to worry about paying 4M-5M for a legit #2 goalie if Ullmark can only go 40-50 games per season.

Ullmark is clearly a tandem goalie. Most teams use tandems now, but not every goalie wants to only play 40 games. I get the impression looking at Ullmark's career that he prefers that situation.

Kotchetkov in Carolina might be a comparable to look at. He was drafted a year earlier and signed 4 years at 2M with a limited NHL resume. If they go 4 years, I'd expect it to come in a bit higher, and I don't know that the Senators would want to risk that kind of term off if what might end up being a 20 game sample size.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BonHoonLayneCornell, Emrasie and Do Make Say Think
Anyone else sleeping better at night cause of this guy?

Knowing we have Ullmark for 8 years, who can be the best goalie we have ever had, is something special. But his injury concerns and lack of serious load(relative to the other top ballers) will always keep us on edge.

Knowing we potentially have another number 1 goalie who is young and will provide Ullmark support and be at a good age to take over the mantle when Ullmark is done(or earlier)? What a sense of deep comfort and relief that is.. especially for a team haunted with goaltending woes since our inception.

I know it is still very early, and goalies are unpredictable, but I am feeling extremely optimistic here.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sun God Nika, bicboi64 and Sens of Anarchy
ReginKarlssonLehner said:
Anyone else sleeping better at night cause of this guy?

Knowing we have Ullmark for 8 years, who can be the best goalie we have ever had, is something special. But his injury concerns and lack of serious load(relative to the other top ballers) will always keep us on edge.

Knowing we potentially have another number 1 goalie who is young and will provide Ullmark support and be at a good age to take over the mantle when Ullmark is done(or earlier)? What a sense of deep comfort and relief that is.. especially for a team haunted with goaltending woes since our inception.

I know it is still very early, and goalies are unpredictable, but I am feeling extremely optimistic here.
Click to expand...
Feeling very optimistic that we have management that won't trade him for a short fix. We've drafted and partially developed so many goalies that have become starters on other teams. Its nice to feel confident that we get to keep a guy for once
 
ReginKarlssonLehner said:
Anyone else sleeping better at night cause of this guy?

Knowing we have Ullmark for 8 years, who can be the best goalie we have ever had, is something special. But his injury concerns and lack of serious load(relative to the other top ballers) will always keep us on edge.

Knowing we potentially have another number 1 goalie who is young and will provide Ullmark support and be at a good age to take over the mantle when Ullmark is done(or earlier)? What a sense of deep comfort and relief that is.. especially for a team haunted with goaltending woes since our inception.

I know it is still very early, and goalies are unpredictable, but I am feeling extremely optimistic here.
Click to expand...
I'd basically given up on the season since it looked like they'd have to ride Forsberg for a long time. I wanted to hope, but I just couldn't have any faith in him anymore. Leevi has completely restored my faith in their chances.
 
ReginKarlssonLehner said:
Anyone else sleeping better at night cause of this guy?

Knowing we have Ullmark for 8 years, who can be the best goalie we have ever had, is something special. But his injury concerns and lack of serious load(relative to the other top ballers) will always keep us on edge.

Knowing we potentially have another number 1 goalie who is young and will provide Ullmark support and be at a good age to take over the mantle when Ullmark is done(or earlier)? What a sense of deep comfort and relief that is.. especially for a team haunted with goaltending woes since our inception.

I know it is still very early, and goalies are unpredictable, but I am feeling extremely optimistic here.
Click to expand...
I don't flinch on every shot against like I do with Forsberg
 
  • Like
Reactions: DrEasy
ReginKarlssonLehner said:
Anyone else sleeping better at night cause of this guy?

Knowing we have Ullmark for 8 years, who can be the best goalie we have ever had, is something special. But his injury concerns and lack of serious load(relative to the other top ballers) will always keep us on edge.

Knowing we potentially have another number 1 goalie who is young and will provide Ullmark support and be at a good age to take over the mantle when Ullmark is done(or earlier)? What a sense of deep comfort and relief that is.. especially for a team haunted with goaltending woes since our inception.

I know it is still very early, and goalies are unpredictable, but I am feeling extremely optimistic here.
Click to expand...

Don't we only have Ullmark for four years after this?

At any rate Leevi has me feeling a whole lot better about our goalie outlook than I did a couple of months ago.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: DrEasy and Sens of Anarchy
ACLEVERNAME said:
Ullmark for 4 years is a chefs kiss if Meriläinen continues this projectory. Solid 60-40 tandem with the eventual changing of arms at year 3-4.

Haven't been this exited in Sens overall goaltending since ever probably.
Click to expand...
even when we had Lehner Bishop and Andy? and completely f***ed it.

Tuna99 said:
Always looking for the next Cam Ward or Jordan Binnington.
Click to expand...
I would say this kid is the next Saros/Rinne/Rask.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Top Bottom