This story appeared on hockeysverige.se this week and has been translated from Swedish to English.
Between 2000 and 2004, the rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators was at its peak.
The teams met in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on four occasions in some epic clashes, with then-captains Mats Sundin and Daniel Alfredsson at the center of attention – and Toronto emerging victorious in all four series.
Now, as the provincial rivals clash in the postseason for the first time in 21 years, Swedish players will once again be in the spotlight. Chief among them is goaltender Linus Ullmark. The 31-year-old Swede is in his first season with the Senators, but he’s no stranger to facing off against the Maple Leafs in heated matchups.
“No, I’ve now played for three teams that all have major rivalries with Toronto – Buffalo, Boston, and now Ottawa,” Ullmark told hockeysverige.se during a media availability ahead of the playoffs.
He compares the derby atmosphere to what he experienced in Örnsköldsvik during his time in MoDo, which has a tense Swedish rivalry with Timrå.
“It’s always fun (to face Toronto). The Battle of Ontario is the closest thing I’ve experienced to the ‘Battle of Västernorrland’ growing up with MoDo and Timrå. Why not enjoy the opportunity to play in games like these? There’s some history behind it, so I think it’ll be a fantastic experience.”
While the playoff history against the Leafs may not be flattering for the Senators, this season’s results have been far more encouraging. Ullmark and his team came out on top in all three regular-season meetings with Toronto. In other words, there seems to be a formula for how to shut down the high-octane Leafs, featuring stars like Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, John Tavares – and, of course, William Nylander.
“For us, it’s all about doing what we managed to do during the season – neutralizing them as best we can,” said Ullmark. “It’s not going to work 100 percent of the time. There will be moments when they break through or create chances on their own. But we can’t give them too many freebies – that’ll be crucial when you’re up against such a dangerous, offensive team.”
Naturally, William Nylander is the Leafs player Ullmark is most familiar with. The two were teammates in MoDo between 2013 and 2015 before both made the move to North America. Since then, their paths have crossed on the national team as well, most recently at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
Ullmark admires his opponent, who finished the regular season with 45 goals and 84 points in 82 games.
“Willy is a world-class talent, a standout even on a star-studded team like Toronto,” he said, and went on to explain what makes his countryman so special:
“Willy is such a complete player. He’s not one- or two-dimensional – he’s three-dimensional in his game. It’s not just the shot, or the vision, or the passing – it’s all of it and more. He’s a threat all over the ice, and that’s what separates him from so many others in this league – that completeness.”
Facing Nylander is also a challenge Ullmark embraces.
“I think it’s extra motivating and inspiring to go up against players of that caliber. Those are the games you want to win the most – and the ones that are the most fun to play.”
No matter how the playoffs turn out, this season has marked a step forward for the Ottawa Senators. Clinching a playoff berth marked their first postseason appearance since 2017. Ullmark says the fans in the hockey-mad city have taken notice.
“I don’t spend a whole lot of time out on the town, but the times I have, the reactions have been really positive. Lots of happy people thanking us for the work we’ve put in and the effort we bring to the ice. You can tell it’s a real hockey town. And after missing the playoffs for several years, I think it means even more to the fanbase that we’re finally back in it.”
Ullmark arrived in Ottawa via a trade with the Boston Bruins ahead of the season. He quickly signed an extension with the Senators, keeping him with the team through 2028-29. His first season in Ottawa has been largely positive – aside from a back injury around Christmas that kept him sidelined for over a month. But he’s not ready to summarize the season just yet – because he believes the best is still to come.
“I usually don’t grade anything until I’ve marked all the answers,” Ullmark said with a smile. “For me, there’s still a lot of season left. I typically evaluate things once the final game has been played. But we can be proud of what we’ve accomplished so far – making the playoffs was one of our goals. That’s a big positive in itself, but the final evaluation comes after the last game is done.”