Merilainen was recalled from AHL Belleville on Tuesday to serve as the backup against Utah, TSN 1200 Ottawa reports.

Merilainen's promotion comes as Anton Forsberg was confirmed as the starter Tuesday while Linus Ullmark (strain) remains on the shelf. With the team calling Ullmark day-to-day and no back-to-backs on the short-term schedule, Merilainen is unlikely to see any starts while up in the NHL.