Linus Ullmark addressed his absence from the Senators and the wild rumors that forced general manager Steve Staios to put out a statement earlier this month.
In a sit-down interview with TSN, Ullmark, 32, revealed he stepped away from hockey to address his mental health and called out the people who used his absence to spread the rumor, saying, “people love to just f–king drag you down.”
“People wonder why hockey players — professional athletes — are not talking,” he said. “Why we’re not showing any sort of emotions. Why mental health in men and in women are a stigma. It took them less than 24 hours from my absence of leave to try to find reasons to why I’m gone. Saying that I’m a home-wrecker, a person that no one likes in the team. And I can’t defend myself.
“I didn’t know about this until days later. And it sucks, because I have a family. I have a wife, I have kids. They get sent text messages asking, ‘Hey, are you guys good?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, why?’ And then they tell you about it the rumors and you’re like, ‘What the f–k is wrong with people?’”
Unsubstantiated salacious rumors spread on social media revolving around Ullmark’s personal life after he took a leave of absence following the Senators’ Dec. 27 game against the Maple Leafs.
It led to Staois releasing a strongly worded defense of his player and condemnation of those who were spreading the falsities.
The goaltender, who rejoined the team last Monday, said the situation was indicative of where things have gotten with sports fans.
“Of course we’re not going to say anything. Because people love to just f–king drag you down,” he said. “They just want to find a reason to bring you down to their level. They don’t care. [The] general public do not care. I’m not speaking about the Sens fans, because they’ve been awesome.
“But if people really, really want us in sports to be more upfront and honest, yeah — you gotta take a hard look here at yourself in the mirror.”
During the nearly 30-minute interview, Ullmark revealed he was having anxiety problems and experiencing “panic” during the at points during and before the Senators’ game against Toronto.
The 2023 Vezina Trophy winner explained that he had been “very scared” and “was not myself.”
He reached out to the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program right after the game had ended.
“And I said, ‘Hey. I’m f–ked up. I need help.’ And together with the program, together with the organization, we set up a plan and I went through the motions and I took the absence of leave,” Ullmark said.
He told the Senators that he was stepping away to deal with his mental health.
The veteran netminder, who has played for the Sabres, Bruins and Senators during his 11-year NHL career, said his mental health struggles went back further than the late December game.
Ullmark said revealed he had been dealing with issues since a June 2024 trade from the Bruins to the Senators and and that things were “piling” up because they were never addressed properly.
Ullmark appreciated the support he received in the wake of the rumors spread online, calling the reaction from his teammates and Staios “heartwarming.”
