Report: Senators pave way for Perron’s return by placing Ullmark on LTIR

The Ottawa Senators made a paper move Thursday to get David Perron back into the lineup.

According to The Athletic‘s Julian Mackenzie, the Senators are placing goaltender Linus Ullmark on long-term injured reserve to open up a roster spot. But since Ullmark has already missed 10 games, he can be taken off at any time.

Perron hasn’t played since Nov. 23 due to an upper-body injury, but is expected to return for Thursday’s game against the Boston Bruins. The veteran forward has been limited to just nine games this season and has not registered a point yet.

Meanwhile, Ullmark is still on the shelf with a back injury he suffered on Dec. 22 against the Edmonton Oilers. The Swedish netminder has resumed skating, but there is still no timeline for his return.

Acquired by the Senators in a trade with the Boston Bruins in June, Ullmark has a 12-7-2 record with a .915 save percentage and a 2.38 goals-against average this season.

Despite the loss of Ullmark, the Senators currently sit in a playoff spot thanks in large part to the play of young goaltender Leevi Merilainen. In nine starts, Merilainen has a 6-3-1 record with a .914 save percentage and 2.32 goals against average.