The Ottawa Senators are hitting the road for a week-long swing through California and Nevada, and they’ll open it tonight against a Vegas team that’s trying to stop the slide.
The Golden Knights come in on a three-game losing streak, one that began with back-to-back 6-2 beatdowns against the Lightning and Blues. They looked a little sharper Saturday against the Blue Jackets, but an overtime loss didn’t exactly calm anyone down. The good news for Vegas is that it’s back home, where it has looked more comfortable.
Jack Eichel has paced the attack with 19 points, while Mark Stone has already piled up a team-high eight goals. Even with the stars producing, the Knights have needed help from the depth chart early on, especially with winger Victor Olofsson out.
That’s why tonight brings some fresh faces, with Jonas Røndbjerg and Ville Heinola both set to make their season debuts. Vegas also gets Mitch Marner back after he missed Saturday’s game for the birth of his second child.
Head coach Ryan Craig is mixing and matching again in search of a spark.
Special teams could easily tilt this one. Vegas is scoring on nearly one out of every four power-play chances, while Ottawa is closer to one in ten. That puts a premium on staying out of the box for the Senators, because letting the Knights get extra looks would be asking for trouble.
Goaltending is another big variable. Adin Hill starts for Vegas after Carter Hart left the morning skate with an injury, and his numbers have been shaky so far: a .882 save percentage and minus-2.0 goals saved above expected, according to MoneyPuck.
Ottawa’s Samuel Ersson has struggled even more, so Travis Green is going with the hotter hand in Jonas Johansson tonight. Neither club is likely to lean on dazzling goaltending; both have been trying to paper over the cracks with structure.
Ottawa does have some momentum, though. The Senators have beaten Vegas only four times in franchise history, but two of those wins came last season.
There’s also encouraging injury news: Thomas Chabot skated in a regular full-contact jersey yesterday, though he won’t play tonight. His return appears close.
The late start fits a game that could matter in a crowded league picture. With the Atlantic the only NHL division without a team below a .500 points percentage, every point carries weight. Puck drop is set for 10:00 pm ET on TSN.
Senators Lines
Zetterlund - Stützle - Giroux
Foegele - Cozens - Batherson
Greig - Pinto - Amadio
Cousins - Halliday - Burakovsky
Sanderson - Zub
Kleven - Spence
Matinpalo - Yakemchuk
Johansson
Scratched: Crotty, Hodgson
Golden Knights Lines
Barbashev - Eichel - Stone
Howden - Karlsson - Marner
Connelly - Hertl - Bowman
Røndbjerg - Dowd - Gatcomb
McNabb - Theodore
Heinola - Andersson
Lauzon - Hanifin
Hill
Scratched: Coghlan, Lavoie
In Other News...
Thomas Chabot Could Change Everything For Ottawa's Blue Line
Thomas Chabot was back at full practice Monday, a welcome development for a Senators blue line that has spent much of the early season trying to piece itself together. For Ottawa, the timing matters just as much as the news itself, with a five-game road trip looming and the defense needing as many stabilizing pieces as it can get.
The bigger intrigue is what the group could look like if the Senators finally get some health luck in one place at the same time. Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub are both in the conversation as well, and the possibility of having all three available would give Ottawa a very different look than the one it has had to use so far. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Prospects Are Forcing A Bigger 2026 Debate Early
The Senators prospect pool is starting to make its own noise well before anyone is ready to turn the page to 2026, with three young forwards already pushing their way into bigger conversations. Adam Nemec has been driving offense for Sudbury and is set to suit up for Slovakia at the World Juniors, while Jonas Lagerberg-Hoen has opened his season with Leksands IF and earned an invite to Swedens Five Nations Tournament as the next roster decisions get closer.
Jaxon Cover has also given Ottawa reason to watch closely, piling up points with the London Knights and putting himself in the mix for Canada at the international level. His status still needs to be confirmed, but the early production from Cover, Nemec and Lagerberg-Hoen is the kind of development that can force a front office to think ahead sooner than planned, especially when the pipeline starts producing players with national-team traction attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Arena Dream Still Alive As Andlauer Frames Bigger Vision
The Senators long-discussed move to LeBreton Flats is still moving, and Michael Andlauer is framing it as much more than a new rink. The Ottawa owner described the proposed arena district as a legacy project for the franchise and the region, one that could reshape both Ottawa and Gatineau if it comes together the way he envisions.
There is still plenty of work ahead before that vision becomes reality. Andlauer said talks continue with the National Capital Commission and city officials, while issues such as contaminated soil remain part of the process. He also pointed to the projects broader potential and made clear he would rather absorb delays than rush something this significant to the finish line. [Read more 🡒]