Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark has revealed the mental health struggles that kept him out of a recent game. In a candid confession, he described himself as 'broken' and still healing, shining a light on the pressures athletes face off the ice.

Linus Ullmark talked about his recent absence from the lineup against the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 28, 2026.

The veteran goaltender said he was mentally not ready to take the ice. He described himself as broken and not fully healed yet. “I am broken, and I’m still not fully, completely healed”, said the goaltender from the Ottawa Senators. 

He openly admitted that he has to fight his inner “demons” every single day.

Linus Ullmark explained that when a player like Thomas Chabot suffers a visible injury, fans understand the absence. However, when his own struggle was mental rather than physical, he faced criticism and pressure to keep playing despite not being fully ready.

"People just started attacking me, ‘Oh, he needs to play.’ He needs to be available. This is what we pay him for," said Ullmark.

Ullmark said he is trying to push himself daily, but acknowledged he was mentally struggling in the days leading up to the game against the Lightning.

“I am very much trying my very hardest every single day to be there. And I was not having the best of days leading up to the Tampa game.”

A History of Previous Struggles

It is not the first time that the goaltender has faced issues with mental health. He also missed quite a few games after stepping away from the Ottawa Senators in late December on a personal leave. 

As rumors began spreading across social media, the organization strongly responded, condemning trolls for promoting entirely false and misleading claims.

The goalie took professional help from the NHLPA assistance program, and the team and the fans supported him for his comeback. 

After almost 35 days, he came back to join the team against the New Jersey Devils on January 31, 2026.  

Ullmark highlighted the intense schedule, explaining that the packed 82-game season leaves players little time for reflection or mental recovery.

"As players, we play 82 games in a short amount of time. So you don’t really have time to take a step back and think about what you are actually doing."

His confession helps explain his absence and highlights the importance of mental health in sports.

His team is at No. 2 in the Eastern Wild Card Division standings with 92 points. They will look to push hard for a playoff spot. Their next game is against the Florida Panthers on April 09, 2026.

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Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi