Senators ready to go big on insurance behind Linus Ullmark?

According to Chris Johnston of The Athleticlook for the Ottawa Senators to enter trade talks for Jesper Wallstedt, should the Minnesota Wild make their top goaltender prospect available before this season’s trade deadline.

Speculation about Wallstedt has increased, in part because the Wild are looking for a top center. Also because Samuel Hlavaj shone in Slovakia’s Olympic victory over Finland. Perhaps he gives Wild GM Bill Guerin some comfort that trading Wallsted won’t cripple the team’s goaltending.

Wallstedt, 23, is an RFA in 2027. He is having a solid season for the Wild and many teams will see him as a future No. 1 pick in the NHL. He may not be quite there yet, but Ullmark’s personal issues and some inconsistency mean the Senators may be looking for something more than just a backup. A 1B option would be ideal. And with a current cap hit of $2.2 million, Wallstedt is affordable.

Johnston likes the Ottawa Senators for Wallstedt

Wallstedt’s strong rookie season in Minnesota has drawn a lot of attention. He posted a 14-5-4 record, 2.68 GAA, .914 save percentage and four shutouts. His consistency has put him on early Calder Trophy watch and caught the eye of league administrators. Ottawa’s interest is understandable as the Senators, near a playoff spot, are struggling defensively: They are allowing 3.23 goals per game and relying heavily on goaltending amid a weak penalty box.

Johnston wrote in a recent article:

The Senators would almost certainly retain a playoff spot at this point if they had gotten better goaltending this season. They rank 32nd overall with a team percentage of .873 going into the Olympic break. The appeal of acquiring Wallstedt is that he would give them insurance behind No. 1 Linus Ullmark and immediately improve their tandem. He also has a cost-controlled contract through next season, which should fit in with Ullmark’s more expensive deal.”

Johnston seems to believe that strengthening the Senators’ goaltending would be worth a high price, putting them close to playoff readiness.

However, it won’t be cheap to acquire him. Johnston added: “Finding the right trade package is a notable barrier here. The Senators don’t own their 2026 first-round pick, but they do have several marquee players who could get a deal like this over the finish line.”

It seems unlikely that the Senators would trade one of their top centers to fit what the Wild are looking for, but they do have both Dylan Cozens and Shane Pinto on the roster, neither of whom have trade protection. Pinto has 15 goals and 29 points in 47 games. He is on contract until 2030. Cozens has 18 goals and 43 points in 57 games. He is under contract, also until 2030.

Next: Same team emerges as Elias Pettersson trade speculation grows