- May 21, 2026
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The Ottawa Senators have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with restricted free agent goaltender Leevi Merilainen, the club announced Thursday afternoon.
According to the Senators, Merilainen’s new contract is a one-way deal that carries a $1.1 million NHL cap hit, representing a slight increase over his previous $1.05 million NHL salary.
Merilainen, 23, posted an 8-10-1 record and an .860 save percentage in 20 NHL games with the Senators during the 2025-26 regular season. The 6’2″ goaltender also appeared in 19 AHL games with the Belleville Senators, going 8-8-1 with two shutouts and a .909 save percentage.
A third-round pick (No. 71 overall) of the Senators in the 2020 NHL Draft, Merilainen developed in the Karpat system in the Finnish Liiga before coming over to play for the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs for the 2021-22 season. He split the following year between Karpat, Belleville, and Ottawa, before settling in North America for good in the 2023-24 season.
To date, Merilainen has appeared in 34 NHL games across the 2022-23, 2024-25, and 2025-26 seasons, posting a combined 16-14-3 record, three shutouts, and an .885 save percentage. In 84 AHL games over parts of four seasons in Belleville, Merilainen has compiled a 39-29-14 record with eight shutouts and a .911 save percentage; he appeared in one playoff game with the B-Sens in 2024, stopping 27 of 29 shots in a 3-1 loss to the Cleveland Monsters.
A product of Oulu, Finland, Merilainen has also represented his country on the international stage. He played for Team Finland at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, playing in one game before the tournament was shut down due to COVID-19 and then in four more after it restarted the following summer.
Between Linus Ullmark, Merilainen, and new acquisition Samuel Ersson, the Senators now have each of their top three goaltenders under contract for the 2026-27 season at a combined $11.55 million salary cap hit. The Senators also have minor-league prospects Lucas Beckman, Kevin Reidler, and Jackson Parsons all signed for each of the next two seasons.
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According to the Senators, Merilainen’s new contract is a one-way deal that carries a $1.1 million NHL cap hit, representing a slight increase over his previous $1.05 million NHL salary.
Merilainen, 23, posted an 8-10-1 record and an .860 save percentage in 20 NHL games with the Senators during the 2025-26 regular season. The 6’2″ goaltender also appeared in 19 AHL games with the Belleville Senators, going 8-8-1 with two shutouts and a .909 save percentage.
Back for More-älainen!
The #Sens have signed goaltender Leevi Meriläinen to a one-year contract extensionpic.twitter.com/9DnA3Z0Nkj
— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) July 2, 2026
A third-round pick (No. 71 overall) of the Senators in the 2020 NHL Draft, Merilainen developed in the Karpat system in the Finnish Liiga before coming over to play for the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs for the 2021-22 season. He split the following year between Karpat, Belleville, and Ottawa, before settling in North America for good in the 2023-24 season.
To date, Merilainen has appeared in 34 NHL games across the 2022-23, 2024-25, and 2025-26 seasons, posting a combined 16-14-3 record, three shutouts, and an .885 save percentage. In 84 AHL games over parts of four seasons in Belleville, Merilainen has compiled a 39-29-14 record with eight shutouts and a .911 save percentage; he appeared in one playoff game with the B-Sens in 2024, stopping 27 of 29 shots in a 3-1 loss to the Cleveland Monsters.
A product of Oulu, Finland, Merilainen has also represented his country on the international stage. He played for Team Finland at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, playing in one game before the tournament was shut down due to COVID-19 and then in four more after it restarted the following summer.
Between Linus Ullmark, Merilainen, and new acquisition Samuel Ersson, the Senators now have each of their top three goaltenders under contract for the 2026-27 season at a combined $11.55 million salary cap hit. The Senators also have minor-league prospects Lucas Beckman, Kevin Reidler, and Jackson Parsons all signed for each of the next two seasons.
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