The Ottawa Senators have turned to a familiar face for their next captain, naming Thomas Chabot the 11th captain in franchise history.
It’s a move that fits the moment and the man. Eleven years after he first joined the organization, Chabot now stands as the longest-tenured player on the roster, and the Senators are handing the job to one of the most established voices in the room.
Selected 18th overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Chabot grew quickly into one of the club’s most important pieces. For years, he carried heavy minutes as a top-pairing defenseman on a rebuilding team, absorbing the kind of workload that wears down most players.
With Jake Sanderson now in the mix, Chabot has shifted into a second-pairing role, but his influence hasn’t faded. He’s still a key presence on the blue line and a respected figure in the dressing room.
Chabot is heading into his 10th season with Ottawa and already sits 13th in franchise history in games played at 569. He’s also 13th in points with 335, third among defensemen behind Erik Karlsson and Wade Redden.
There’s also a contract layer to watch. Chabot will become eligible for a new deal on July 1st, 2027, and the expectation is that the next agreement would be a seven-year contract taking him to age 38.
The announcement comes just days after the birth of Chabot’s and his wife Marion’s first child, who was in the locker room for the official reveal.
Ottawa is also moving forward after the departure of Brady Tkachuk, with a leadership group built around Chabot, Sanderson, Tim Stützle, and Claude Giroux.
In Other News...
Jake Sanderson Status Leaves Senators Blue Line In Doubt Before Leafs
Three days before the season opener, the Senators were already having to shuffle their blue line. Jake Sanderson did not take part in team practice Wednesday and instead skated on his own because of an unspecified injury, a concern for a group that was still trying to settle into its opening-night look. Head coach Travis Green said Sanderson is not ready for practice, and Ottawa will keep evaluating him before the trip.
The uncertainty comes at an inconvenient time with the Leafs waiting in the opener. Ottawa adjusted its defensive pairings at practice to cover for Sandersons absence, and the club is still sorting through its options on the back end. For a team that wants to start cleanly in a division game right out of the gate, losing one of its top defencemen from full practice is not the kind of timing it wanted. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Still Waiting On Crucial Opening Night Answers Vs Toronto
With opening night against Toronto drawing close, the Senators are still sorting through a few important health questions that could shape the first look at their lineup. Jake Sanderson has been skating on his own while recovering from an undisclosed injury, and while he has not been ruled out for the season opener, he may not join full team practice until Friday. For a team trying to settle in before facing the Maple Leafs, that leaves one of its key defensemen in a holding pattern at an awkward time.
The uncertainty does not stop there, either. Veteran forwards Andre Burakovsky and Warren Foegele are also dealing with injuries, with Burakovsky sidelined and Foegele still questionable for the opener. That leaves Ottawa waiting on a few crucial answers as the weekend approaches, and the final shape of the lineup could remain fluid right up until puck drop. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Just Reopened A Frustrating Goalie Development Debate
The Senators latest goalie shuffle has put a familiar organizational debate back in the spotlight. Leevi Merilainen, once viewed as a promising part of Ottawas future after some strong showings in earlier seasons, has been moved off the NHL path for now after a difficult 2025-26 campaign sent him down to the AHL. The decision underscores how quickly the margin can tighten for young goaltenders, especially when the team is sorting out backup duties and trying to balance present stability with long-term upside.
The fallout did not stop there. Ottawa needed another body in the system, so it brought in Jonas Johansson from Tampa Bay to help shore up the crease for its AHL affiliate, a move that speaks to how much depth matters when goalie development gets messy. For the Senators, the bigger question lingers in the background: whether this was simply a necessary roster call or the latest chapter in a frustrating pattern of trying to turn promise into something lasting. [Read more 🡒]