Samuel Ersson projects to start in Detroit after Linus Ullmark's exit, and Ottawa is also without Jake Sanderson

The Ottawa Senators are 2-0-0, but they head into the second night of a back-to-back in Detroit on Tuesday with two of their most important players hurt. Linus Ullmark was pulled after two periods of Monday's 4-1 win in Boston, after Bruins forward JJ Peterka crashed into him in the crease. Jake Sanderson, the Senators' No. 1 defenseman, has already been ruled out for both games of the road trip. Samuel Ersson, whom Ottawa acquired from Toronto in June, is the projected starter at Little Caesars Arena.

Coach Travis Green called the Ullmark move precautionary. He said Ullmark tweaked something on the play and the staff felt it was best to take him out with a 4-0 lead. The collision happened with 4:24 left in the second period, after Ottawa's William Eklund shoved Peterka toward the net, and Ullmark was slow to get up. He made 10 saves before leaving. Ersson stopped eight of nine shots in his Senators debut, and only James Hagens scored for Boston, in the third period.

Sanderson's absence and who covers it

Sanderson left Saturday's 3-2 opening win over Toronto at 12:45 of the first period after six shifts and 4:29 of ice time. Ottawa calls the injury undisclosed. After further testing, Green said it was not as serious as the team had feared, but the Senators ruled Sanderson out of both Monday's game in Boston and Tuesday's game in Detroit. Ottawa's next game after that is the first real checkpoint.

Ottawa's blue line was already thin before Sanderson got hurt. Artem Zub is on injured reserve with a knee injury from last spring's first-round series against Carolina and is on track to miss at least through Oct. 10, though general manager Steve Staios has said he expects Zub back early in the season. Defenseman Crotty went into the lineup in Sanderson's place on Monday.

Monday's projected defense pairs were Thomas Chabot with Jordan Spence, Tyler Kleven with Carter Yakemchuk, and Crotty with Matinpalo. Chabot, playing his first games as captain, had a goal and an assist in the opener and runs the top power-play unit. Yakemchuk, the 2023 first-round pick, took over power-play work after Sanderson left Saturday and played 14:58 in Boston without a point.

Ersson's track record

The goaltending is the real concern for this matchup. Ersson came to Ottawa in a roundabout way. Philadelphia sent him to Toronto on June 16 in the Joseph Woll trade, and the Maple Leafs, who did not plan to give him a qualifying offer, flipped his rights to the Senators on June 26 for a 2027 fifth-round pick. His last season in Philadelphia was poor. He went 14-11-5 with a 3.12 goals-against average and an .870 save percentage in 33 appearances.

Ottawa brought him in to be Ullmark's backup, a role Leevi Merilainen and James Reimer split last season. A back-to-back start against a winless Detroit team is a reasonable spot for him. But if Ullmark misses more time, the Senators are depending on a goalie who struggled badly last season.

Fantasy fallout

Samuel Ersson: He is a streaming option for Tuesday in deep leagues because of the matchup. Detroit is 0-2-0 and scored two goals combined in its first two games. Still, his .870 last season makes him a risky play for ratios. In standard 12-team leagues, only stream him if you need wins and can absorb a bad save percentage night. He becomes a real pickup only if Ullmark ends up on injured reserve.

Linus Ullmark: Do not drop him. The pull was described as precautionary, and Ottawa had a four-goal lead, so there was no reason to leave him in. The concern is that Green said he tweaked something. Watch for Ottawa's next practice update. If you can, use an IR-eligible slot only if the Senators make a roster move.

Thomas Chabot: He is the clear winner while Sanderson is out. He gets top-pair minutes and runs PP1, and he already has two points in the opener. He is a must-start for as long as Sanderson is out.

Carter Yakemchuk: He is the speculative add. Power-play time is the hardest thing for a young defenseman to earn, and he has it right now. His 14:58 on Monday shows his even-strength role is still limited, so his value depends on power-play points. He is worth a look in deep leagues and dynasty formats, but he will probably lose the role when Sanderson returns.

Tim Stutzle: He scored two first-period goals 1:43 apart in Boston, the first one shorthanded, and added an assist. That moved him into sole possession of sixth place in franchise scoring with 413 points. The injuries on defense do not affect him, and he is an every-night start.

Betting angle

Tuesday's Ottawa-Detroit line has been close to a pick'em, and early market reports show it moving slightly toward the Senators even with Ersson expected in goal. The total has reportedly moved up from 5.5 to 6. That fits the goaltending situation. Ottawa is on the road on the second night of a back-to-back, without its top defenseman, and with a backup who allowed goals at a high rate last season. Detroit's offense has struggled, scoring two goals in two games.

If you are looking at this game, the over is the more natural lean than picking a side, given the Ersson factor. Senators player props tied to Chabot's power-play usage are also worth a look. For the full NHL card, readers can visit /nhl/predictions. Whatever you play, confirm the starting goalies before puck drop. A late switch to Ullmark would change the read on this game a lot.

What to do in your league

1. Start Chabot every night while Sanderson is out. 2. Pick up Yakemchuk in deep and dynasty leagues as a short-term power-play stash. 3. Stream Ersson only if you need wins and can absorb a bad ratio night. 4. Hold Ullmark and Sanderson. Neither injury has a reported long-term timeline. 5. Confirm Tuesday's goalie before lineups lock, because Ersson is only the projected starter.

What's next

Ottawa plays in Detroit on Tuesday night with a 2-0-0 record and a growing injury list. The Senators should give updates on both Sanderson and Ullmark early this week. Sanderson's two-game ruling ends after Tuesday, so his return date will decide whether Chabot and Yakemchuk keep their heavier roles past this week. Zub's expected return after Oct. 10 would add depth to the blue line. If Ullmark needs more than a day or two, Ersson moves from a spot-start streamer to a goalie that a lot of fantasy managers will be watching.