Give him a chance. Family guys generally love it here, but it does take time for the family to settle in. Plus, both sides have to see if he's a fit on the ice, as well.
Definitely a prove it year for everyone in the organization.
This is true on so many different levels. If we have a damn fine year and take a big step forward, like say we crush all expectations and take 3rd place in the division - this franchise will have officially put the league on notice that the Senators are back. And 7 years of failure and a completely overhauled front office and ownership group will be all but forgotten.
But if its yet another embarrassing year where everyone is sulking/checked out by the new year, then we have much bigger problems than our goalie likely walking in the offseason. Having him locked up into his late 30's for big money might not even be the right move for the franchise at that point. Who knows.
But most of all it would mean that our core truly is a dud, and the rebuild has failed a la Edmonton or Buffalo 2010's style - who both had to hit the reset button once during an already extended and painfully long rebuild. That would hurt so, so bad. People will need to be moved, and low-key tanking will be back on the menu for at least another season or two before anyone who's paying attention has any expectations again.
Having said that. I honestly have no doubts whatsoever that Ulmark and his family are going to love Ottawa and the Senators organization. Melnyk is dead and gone, and he was literally the only thing stopping the Sens from being a premier "best of both worlds" kind of destination in the NHL.
Point being though is that we couldnt possibly have been an attractive place for players who are seeking a stable, quiet and calm destination (that is still filled with rabid fans on a team that legitimately will do what it takes to win) when our owner was loudly and proudly the opposite of those things. The Sens could be just like Carolina or the San Jose sharks of years past. Or at least the Canadian equivalent of it.....