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2025 Fantasy Outlook
Merilainen may be ready to ascend to the NHL as a full-time backup. In limited action last season, he posted an 8-3-1 record with a 1.99 GAA and a .925 save percentage in 12 games, filling in as a short-term starter for much of January while Linus Ullmark dealt with a back injury. Merilainen is just entering his age-23 season, and that means he's still got time to develop. Those numbers, combined with his 18-12-4 record, 2.37 GAA and .913 save percentage over 37 games with AHL Belleville, indicate that Merilainen can handle 25-30 games at the NHL level. It's no guarantee he'll start 2025-26 in Ottawa, but he'll be in the mix for the backup job in training camp. Read Past Outlooks
Signed a one-year, $1.05 million contract with the Senators in June of 2025.
Drawing start Thursday
Merilainen will defend the road crease during Thursday's preseason game against the Blues, TSN 1200 Ottawa reports.
ANALYSIS
Merilainen is slated to play the full game in what will likely be his final tune-up ahead of the regular season. Once the 2025-26 campaign begins, Merilainen is expected to serve as Linus Ullmark's backup.
Merilainen is slated to play the full game in what will likely be his final tune-up ahead of the regular season. Once the 2025-26 campaign begins, Merilainen is expected to serve as Linus Ullmark's backup.
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2024 Fantasy Outlook
Merilainen made his NHL debut late in the 2022-23 campaign, but he didn't make any appearances for the Senators last year despite a brief stint with Ottawa. He made a career-high 24 regular-season appearances for AHL Belleville last year and had mixed results, going 10-9-1 with a 2.87 GAA and .906 save percentage. The Senators traded Joonas Korpisalo to the Bruins over the summer but received Linus Ullmark in return, so Ullmark and Anton Forsberg should enter the 2024-25 season as the team's top two netminders. Despite Merilainen's inconsistency in the minors last season, he could be called up by the Senators if Ullmark or Forsberg deal with injuries at some point.
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Facing Canadiens
Merilainen will patrol the home crease against Montreal on Tuesday.
ANALYSIS
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Tending twine Tuesday
Merilainen will defend the road cage versus the Leafs in Tuesday's preseason matchup, TSN 1200 Ottawa reports.
ANALYSIS
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Inks one-year contract
Merilainen signed a one-year, $1.05 million contract with Ottawa on Monday.
ANALYSIS
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Summoned from minors
Merilainen was recalled from AHL Belleville on Saturday.
ANALYSIS
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Returns to minors
Merilainen was reassigned to AHL Belleville on Wednesday.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Might be summoned
The Senators are considering recalling Merilainen from AHL Belleville, according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia on Wednesday.
ANALYSIS
Neither Linus Ullmark nor Anton Forsberg is dealing with a known injury, but Ottawa has secured its playoff berth, so adding Merilainen to the roster would enable the Senators to occasionally make Ullmark a healthy scratch so that he's rested for the postseason. It would also give the 22-year-old Merilainen, who has an 8-3-1 record, 1.99 GAA and .925 save percentage in 12 appearances with Ottawa this campaign, some added NHL experience.
Neither Linus Ullmark nor Anton Forsberg is dealing with a known injury, but Ottawa has secured its playoff berth, so adding Merilainen to the roster would enable the Senators to occasionally make Ullmark a healthy scratch so that he's rested for the postseason. It would also give the 22-year-old Merilainen, who has an 8-3-1 record, 1.99 GAA and .925 save percentage in 12 appearances with Ottawa this campaign, some added NHL experience.