BROSSARD, Quebec -- Sweden found out a few weeks ago that New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom would not be available for the 4 Nations Face-Off because of injury. Around the same time, 2023 Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark was nursing some back problems.

Ullmark, 31, left the Ottawa Senators lineup just before Christmas, but insists now that, within a week or so, he was not worried about making it back in time for the international tournament.

"It's been a long road. It's been different, but it's been very productive," he said Monday. "I learned a lot of things along the way and had good communication throughout the whole process that enabled me to be here today in front of you guys."

Ullmark, in his first season with the Senators, is 12-9-2 with a 2.49 goals-against average. On Saturday, in a 5-1 loss to the Florida Panthers, he made 43 saves.

"It didn't feel like we had to rush through the process to get me to be a part of this team," Ullmark said. "Once we kind of settled that in, and talked it over, and had the communication throughout this whole process, from the beginning, I never felt that I was stressed about it or concerned that I wasn't going to be a part of it."

Sweden also has Filip Gustavsson and Samuel Ersson, Markstrom's replacement, but Ullmark is the most accomplished of the three.

"I played with him a couple years ago, so I know how good he is and how good he makes the defense feel just for him to be out there," Buffalo Sabres captain and countryman Rasmus Dahlin said. "I'm very happy he's healthy and ready to go."

Sweden opens up Wednesday at the Bell Centre in Montreal against Canada.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.