2025 Stats
W
3
L
4
SO
0
GAA
3.36
SV%
.876
ROS Projections
2025 Fantasy Outlook
Merilainen may be ready to ascend to the NHL as a full-time backup. In limited action last season, he posted an 8-3-1 record with a 1.99 GAA and a .925 save percentage in 12 games, filling in as a short-term starter for much of January while Linus Ullmark dealt with a back injury. Merilainen is just entering his age-23 season, and that means he's still got time to develop. Those numbers, combined with his 18-12-4 record, 2.37 GAA and .913 save percentage over 37 games with AHL Belleville, indicate that Merilainen can handle 25-30 games at the NHL level. It's no guarantee he'll start 2025-26 in Ottawa, but he'll be in the mix for the backup job in training camp. Read Past Outlooks
Signed a one-year, $1.05 million contract with the Senators in June of 2025.
Facing Wild
Merilainen will be between the visiting pipes in Minnesota on Saturday, according to Jackson Starr of the Senators' official site.
ANALYSIS
Merilainen will try and snap a three-game losing streak. He has sat on the bench in favor of Linus Ullmark for three straight games and will get his chance to redeem himself against the Wild, who will be missing newly-acquired Quinn Hughes from their lineup. Merilainen is 3-4-0 with a 3.36 GAA and an .876 save percentage across seven games this season. The Wild are 24th in NHL scoring, averaging 2.81 goals per game.
Merilainen will try and snap a three-game losing streak. He has sat on the bench in favor of Linus Ullmark for three straight games and will get his chance to redeem himself against the Wild, who will be missing newly-acquired Quinn Hughes from their lineup. Merilainen is 3-4-0 with a 3.36 GAA and an .876 save percentage across seven games this season. The Wild are 24th in NHL scoring, averaging 2.81 goals per game.
NHL Stats
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2025 NHL Game Log
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2025 NHL Game Log
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2025–26 Time On Ice Stats
- Average Time On Ice: 58:41
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2024 Fantasy Outlook
Merilainen made his NHL debut late in the 2022-23 campaign, but he didn't make any appearances for the Senators last year despite a brief stint with Ottawa. He made a career-high 24 regular-season appearances for AHL Belleville last year and had mixed results, going 10-9-1 with a 2.87 GAA and .906 save percentage. The Senators traded Joonas Korpisalo to the Bruins over the summer but received Linus Ullmark in return, so Ullmark and Anton Forsberg should enter the 2024-25 season as the team's top two netminders. Despite Merilainen's inconsistency in the minors last season, he could be called up by the Senators if Ullmark or Forsberg deal with injuries at some point.
More Fantasy News
Stuck with third straight loss
Merilainen stopped 23 of 26 shots in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Rangers, with New York's final tally getting scored into an empty net.
ANALYSIS
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Slated to start Thursday
Merilainen was the first goaltender off the ice at morning practice, per TSN 1200 Ottawa, and is expected to start at home versus the Rangers on Thursday.
ANALYSIS
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Fades late in St. Louis
Merilainen made 27 saves in Friday's 4-3 loss to the Blues.
ANALYSIS
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Set to face St. Louis
Merilainen is expected to start on the road against St. Louis on Friday, per Jackson Starr of the Senators' official site.
ANALYSIS
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Decent in road loss
Merilainen allowed two goals on 22 shots in Monday's 2-1 loss to the Kings.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Might be summoned
The Senators are considering recalling Merilainen from AHL Belleville, according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia on Wednesday.
ANALYSIS
Neither Linus Ullmark nor Anton Forsberg is dealing with a known injury, but Ottawa has secured its playoff berth, so adding Merilainen to the roster would enable the Senators to occasionally make Ullmark a healthy scratch so that he's rested for the postseason. It would also give the 22-year-old Merilainen, who has an 8-3-1 record, 1.99 GAA and .925 save percentage in 12 appearances with Ottawa this campaign, some added NHL experience.
Neither Linus Ullmark nor Anton Forsberg is dealing with a known injury, but Ottawa has secured its playoff berth, so adding Merilainen to the roster would enable the Senators to occasionally make Ullmark a healthy scratch so that he's rested for the postseason. It would also give the 22-year-old Merilainen, who has an 8-3-1 record, 1.99 GAA and .925 save percentage in 12 appearances with Ottawa this campaign, some added NHL experience.