The Ottawa Senators head into 2026-27 with a different kind of pressure on them. The fanbase is expecting a step forward, while plenty of analysts are still looking at the roster with a raised eyebrow.
A lot of that tension traces back to the summer trade that sent Brady Tkachuk out the door after he told general manager Steve Staios he would not re-sign once his contract expired and would be open to a move. It was the kind of departure that stunned plenty of people, even if it had been building for a while.
That trade leaves Ottawa with one clear challenge: show they can still be a strong team without him. Last season offered at least one encouraging hint. In the 22 games Tkachuk missed, the Senators went 12-5-5, and that stretch also happened to be their best save-percentage run of the year at .955, with 555 saves on 581 shots.
Goaltending is the biggest swing factor here, and it was the biggest problem last season. Ottawa finished with a team save percentage of .878 across Linus Ullmark, Leevi Merilainen, James Reimer, Mads Sogaard, and Hunter Shepard.
Four of those five are gone, and the latest exit came when Merilainen was claimed on waivers by the Vancouver Canucks. Ullmark, though, is trending in a much better direction.
He has looked happier in interviews and has already produced better results on the ice.
If Ullmark can resemble the version he showed in the playoffs and after the Olympics, that changes everything for Ottawa. The other part of the equation is Samuel Ersson, who arrives with promising early results and a landing spot on one of the league’s strongest defensive teams. If he settles in quickly, clicks with his new partner, and meshes with goalie consultant Maciej Szwoch, there’s another level he can reach.
The blue line is going to look different right away because two rookies, Carter Yakemchuk and Hoyt Stanley, are battling for opening-night jobs. Yakemchuk brings the reputation and the offensive upside.
Stanley has opened eyes for his defensive game. They’ll be working alongside Jordan Spence, Tyler Kleven, Nikolas Matinpalo, Cameron Crotty, Jake Sanderson, and Thomas Chabot until Artem Zub is back from injury.
Up front, the roster is mostly familiar, but William Eklund and Andre Burakovsky are new faces and both could wind up in the top six. The early look in camp has them skating with Dylan Cozens, Drake Batherson, Fabian Zetterlund, and Tim Stützle. That group has more balance than last year’s version, and Eklund in particular gives Ottawa another forward whose game leans toward the defensive side.
Depth still looks like the Senators’ calling card. Claude Giroux, Shane Pinto, and Michael Amadio form what was one of the best shutdown lines in hockey last season, while still offering some punch on the scoreboard. Giroux finished with 49 points, and Pinto scored 23 goals.
The fourth line brings a mix of scoring and responsibility with Warren Foegele, Ridley Greig, Nick Cousins, and Stephen Halliday in the mix. Several of them spent time in Ottawa’s top nine last season and could end up there again.
With Thomas Chabot now wearing the captain’s C, Ottawa has its leader at the center of the room. It’s a natural fit. Stützle and Sanderson are positioned to be the other major drivers of the team’s rise, and both are expected to take another step.
There is a sense that this group is still largely the same team as last season, but with one major difference: the belief in the room. The Atlantic Division is going to be a grind, especially with other teams around the division making additions. Ottawa may not have the same star power as some of its rivals, but the depth is what gives it a chance.
This feels like an important year for the Senators. The core is getting older, and the time to push forward is now.
Eklund is the breakout pick here and is projected to hit 70 points. Ullmark is expected to settle in as a high-end NHL starter.
Stützle should top his career best while keeping the two-way element in his game, and Sanderson is in line for serious Norris Trophy consideration.
By season’s end, the Senators are projected to finish third in the Atlantic Division, built on a team that works hard at both ends and gets the most out of its talent. The real test, though, comes after that. The playoffs will decide what this team really is.
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Senators Suddenly Have A Top-Six Problem Right Before Opening Night
Andre Burakovsky was supposed to help stabilize Ottawas top six heading into the season, but that plan has taken an immediate hit. The winger went down with an upper-body injury in a preseason game against Montreal and has not been back on the ice since, leaving the Senators with one fewer established option as opening night approaches.
Head coach Travis Green has already indicated Burakovsky is unlikely to be ready for the regular-season opener, and the timing is what makes this so tricky for Ottawa. Opening-night line combinations are still being sorted out, and a player who was expected to claim a meaningful top-six role is now battling against the clock while the Senators wait for clarity on his return. [Read more 🡒]
Marchenkos Toronto Debut Already Carries Pressure Ottawa Fans Will Notice
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For Ottawa fans watching a division rival add another dangerous forward, the quick debut only adds to the sense that Toronto is trying to squeeze value from the move right away. Marchenko and his agent Dan Milstein have framed the transition as a motivator, and Leafs coach Jim Hiller said the new arrival is already working through the adjustment, leaving the next step of his fit in Toronto as the part everyone will keep an eye on. [Read more 🡒]
Why Senators Chose Thomas Chabot For Their New Era
The Senators have moved into a new chapter with Thomas Chabot now carrying the captains C after being named the 11th captain in franchise history. Ottawa turned to the longtime defenseman after trading former captain Brady Tkachuk, and the decision gives the team a familiar face at the center of its next phase. Chabot, a first-round pick in 2015 and a former alternate captain, is set to debut in the role when the season opens.
Head coach Travis Green recently praised Chabots leadership and dedication, a reflection of how much trust the organization has placed in him as it resets around a different core. The choice also underscores the Senators belief that Chabots voice and presence fit the moment, even as the team begins to define what this new era will look like on and off the ice. [Read more 🡒]