Senators finally, mercifully cut Leevi Meriläinen loose

The Ottawa Senators have finally given goaltender Leevi Meriläinen a break.

The 23 year old goaltender has been thrown into the fire this season and... well... he burned to a crisp.

With Linus Ullmark MIA and with little else available, Meriläinen has been thrown into the starter's role in Ottawa despite the fact that he has struggled even at the AHL level. The Finnish netminder has been absolutely lit up in recent games and with the Sens signing veteran James Reimer to a contract, the writing was on the wall for Meriläinen.

Meriläinen, 23, has an 8-10-1 record with a 3.51 goals-against average and .860 save percentage this season. He has played in nine games since the beginning of January, posting a 4-3-1 record.

Today, the Sens announced that Meriläinen has been assigned to the AHL's Belleville Senators. They have recalled goaltender Hunter Shepard in a corresponding move.

Here's hoping that Meriläinen can regain his form and his confidence with some AHL reps. The kid has talent, he just isn't ready for the full-time rigors of an NHL starting position, especially with the Senators struggling so much the past month.