TEAM EDITORIAL

The Ottawa Senators have begun the 2026–27 NHL season with an encouraging 3–2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, giving them a 1–0 record and an early foothold in the Atlantic Division. The opener was decided in the third period, when Stephen Halliday broke a tie at 9:46, while Linus Ullmark supplied 27 saves to preserve the win. Thomas Chabot also made an immediate impact, scoring once and adding an assist in his first game as Ottawa’s captain. His performance offered a compelling early symbol of leadership as the Senators look to establish a more consistent identity this season.

The victory was not entirely uncomplicated. Jake Sanderson reportedly left the game with an injury, a potentially significant concern for a defensive group built around puck movement and responsibility from the back end. Ottawa nevertheless held firm against Toronto, showing enough composure to protect a narrow lead in a tense rivalry game. The result also gives the club useful momentum after entering the campaign as the final NHL team to play its opener.

The Senators’ next test comes Monday, October 5, when they visit the Boston Bruins. Boston has also started strongly, making the matchup an early measure of whether Ottawa’s opening-night discipline and goaltending can carry over against another Atlantic Division opponent.