Fresh off his longest single-season stint in the NHL, Leevi Meriläinen is preparing for another shot in Ottawa.
The Ottawa Senators and the Finnish goalie agreed to a one-year extension worth $1.1 million, the team announced on Thursday. Meriläinen’s new deal comes after a season in which he played 20 games for the big club, posting eight wins with a 3.51 goals-against average and an .860 save percentage.
His most prominent stretch came mid-season when starter Linus Ullmark took a leave of absence, after which Meriläinen made 10 straight starts. Ottawa then signed veteran James Reimer to help spell Ullmark, sending Meriläinen back to the minors.
A third-round pick, taken 71st overall, by the Sens, Meriläinen has split time between Ottawa and the AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators, over the last three years.
Ottawa has Ullmark under contract for another three seasons, while it traded for Samuel Ersson late last month before signing the former Flyer to a two-year, $4.4-million deal.