The Ottawa Senators logo seen on a jersey.

Goaltender Linus Ullmark is currently away from the team for personal reasons. Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images

Ottawa Senators president of hockey operations and general manager Steve Staios condemned “trolls and sick people” who spread “completely fabricated and false stories online” about his starting goaltender, Linus Ullmark, who is currently away from the team for personal reasons.

“Our organization was extremely disappointed to read the completely fabricated and false stories that are spreading around social media about our hockey club,” Staios said in the statement. “Linus is away from our team for personal reasons and he has the entire organization’s support. We asked that people respect his privacy, but clearly that request was not heard by the lowest forms of trolls and sick people who scour the internet. We are disgusted that outside forces are attempting to disrupt our hockey club. This statement will put an end to the ridiculous speculation that spread online.”

Hours earlier, Ullmark was removed from the Senators’ roster to accommodate Lars Eller’s return to the lineup against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night. The Danish center hasn’t played since Dec. 11 while sidelined with a broken foot.

Ullmark has been away since Dec. 28, one day after allowing four goals on 14 shots in a loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Swedish goaltender is 14-8-5 with a 2.95 goals-against average and an .881 save percentage. Ullmark is in the first year of a four-year, $33 million extension signed in October 2024.