2025 Stats
W
8
L
10
SO
0
GAA
3.51
SV%
.860
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.
Shipped down to minors
Merilainen was reassigned to AHL Belleville on Tuesday.
ANALYSIS
Merilainen appeared in 11 straight games for the Senators coming out of the Christmas break, but now finds himself headed down to the minors. In those outings, the 23-year-old netminder went 4-5-1 with a 3.61 GAA, including giving up six goals on 19 shots versus Montreal on Saturday. Hunter Shepard was recalled from Belleville in a corresponding move and figures to serve as the No. 2 option behind James Reimer for Tuesday's tilt with Columbus.
Merilainen appeared in 11 straight games for the Senators coming out of the Christmas break, but now finds himself headed down to the minors. In those outings, the 23-year-old netminder went 4-5-1 with a 3.61 GAA, including giving up six goals on 19 shots versus Montreal on Saturday. Hunter Shepard was recalled from Belleville in a corresponding move and figures to serve as the No. 2 option behind James Reimer for Tuesday's tilt with Columbus.
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2025 NHL Game Log
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2025–26 Time On Ice Stats
- Average Time On Ice: 54:43
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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
Falls in OT
Merilainen stopped 13 of 19 shots on net in Saturday's 6-5 overtime loss to the Canadiens.
ANALYSIS
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Tending twine Saturday
Merilainan will be between the home pipes versus Montreal on Saturday, TSN 1200 Ottawa reports.
ANALYSIS
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Takes advantage of easy matchup
Merilainen stopped 18 of 22 shots in Wednesday's 8-4 win over the Rangers.
ANALYSIS
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Starting again Wednesday
Merilainen is slated to start on the road versus the Rangers on Wednesday, Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press reports.
ANALYSIS
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First win in five games
Merilainen made 19 saves in a 2-1 win over Vancouver on Tuesday.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Poised to start Monday
Merilainen is likely to get the starting nod at home versus the Red Wings on Monday, Claire Hanna of TSN reports.
ANALYSIS
Merilainen would be making his fifth straight appearance in the crease, having posted a 2-2-0 record with 11 goals allowed on 92 shots over his prior four outings. With Linus Ullmark still away from the team for personal reasons, the 23-year-old Merilainen figures to continue seeing the bulk of the workload ahead of Hunter Shepard.
Merilainen would be making his fifth straight appearance in the crease, having posted a 2-2-0 record with 11 goals allowed on 92 shots over his prior four outings. With Linus Ullmark still away from the team for personal reasons, the 23-year-old Merilainen figures to continue seeing the bulk of the workload ahead of Hunter Shepard.