Ottawa Senators: where things stand

The Ottawa Senators enter October 5 with an encouraging but fragile start to the regular season. They opened with a 3–2 road victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, giving them a 1–0 record and an early boost after a difficult previous campaign. Linus Ullmark was steady in goal, stopping 27 shots, while Michael Amadio scored and Claude Giroux contributed two assists. The result offered immediate evidence of useful depth and veteran influence around a group built to compete more consistently.

The celebration was tempered by a significant injury concern. Jake Sanderson aggravated an undisclosed injury during the first period in Toronto and did not return after logging only 4:29. Coach Travis Green acknowledged concern and said the team would need more time to determine the severity. Sanderson’s absence would test Ottawa’s defensive structure and place greater responsibility on Thomas Chabot, Artem Zub and the rest of the blue line.

Ottawa’s next challenge is a regular-season road game against the Boston Bruins on October 5. Boston enters at 2–1, making the matchup an early measure of whether the Senators’ opening win reflects genuine progress or simply a promising first night. For now, Ottawa has momentum, competent goaltending and encouraging contributions from its veteran core, but Sanderson’s status is the central uncertainty surrounding the team.

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.

The Ottawa Senators enter the 2026–27 NHL regular season with a reshaped identity and immediate pressure in the Battle of Ontario. Their campaign begins October 3 on the road against the Toronto Maple Leafs, making the opener the only meaningful measure currently available for a team that has not yet recorded a regular-season result. Toronto, already 1–1, carries a small competitive advantage in game experience, while Ottawa starts from a clean slate.

The most visible change is the captaincy. Thomas Chabot has taken over as captain after Brady Tkachuk’s offseason departure, placing greater leadership responsibility on the veteran defenseman and reinforcing a blue line built around Chabot, Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub. Sanderson’s availability is a central pregame question after he returned to the ice and skated Friday; coach Travis Green said the decision would depend on how the defenseman felt Saturday.

Ottawa’s attack features a blend of established contributors and newer pieces. Tim Stützle remains the central offensive driver, supported by Drake Batherson, Claude Giroux, Dylan Cozens, Shane Pinto and Ridly Greig. The roster also includes additions such as Andre Burakovsky, Fabian Zetterlund and William Eklund, giving Green options as he establishes new combinations.

In goal, Linus Ullmark provides experienced stability, with James Reimer and Samuel Ersson among the other available options. The Senators’ opening challenge is therefore both symbolic and practical: begin a new leadership era with disciplined defense, dependable goaltending and enough scoring to immediately test Toronto.

The Ottawa Senators enter the 2026–27 season facing both renewed expectations and significant change. The summer departure of Brady Tkachuk removed the club’s established captain and emotional centerpiece, but the organization has handed its next chapter to Thomas Chabot, naming the veteran defenseman the 11th captain in franchise history. His leadership will be especially important as Ottawa attempts to convert its promising core into a consistent playoff contender.

The Senators’ blue line begins the season with uncertainty. Artem Zub remains sidelined by a knee injury, although general manager Steve Staios has indicated that his return is not far away. Jake Sanderson is expected to anchor the defense immediately, while Jordan Spence is positioned for important top-four minutes. Tyler Kleven and Nikolas Matinpalo also face expanded responsibilities, giving Ottawa a chance to test its depth before Zub returns.

There are encouraging offensive signs. Claude Giroux impressed during the preseason, and the club has several credible scoring options across its top three lines, including Tim Stützle, Drake Batherson, Dylan Cozens and Shane Pinto. Warren Foegele’s projected top-line role adds size and energy, while uncertainty surrounding Andre Burakovsky creates another opportunity for the lineup to evolve.

Ottawa’s regular-season opener is Saturday, October 3, on the road against the Toronto Maple Leafs. It will mark Chabot’s first game wearing the captain’s “C” and offer an immediate measure of how the reshaped Senators respond to a demanding new season.

The Ottawa Senators enter the 2026–27 season with the sense that their long rebuilding project has reached a more consequential stage. General manager Steve Staios says the club is in its contention window, while coach Travis Green oversees a team whose clearest strength is its defensive structure. Thomas Chabot has taken over as captain, and the blue line remains central to Ottawa’s hopes, with Jake Sanderson emerging as a high-end two-way defender and Linus Ullmark providing a potential difference-maker in goal.

Sanderson’s availability is the immediate concern. He left the final preseason game as a precaution and has missed several practices, though Ottawa remains confident he will be ready. Artem Zub is also working back from a lingering knee issue, creating some uncertainty around a defense corps that could be heavily tested if either player is unavailable. On the positive side, Hoyt Stanley has earned a place on the opening roster, offering size and fresh energy on defense.

Up front, Tim Stützle, Drake Batherson, Dylan Cozens and William Eklund headline a group expected to generate more speed and skill, while Claude Giroux and Shane Pinto add experience and two-way reliability. The challenge is offensive depth in a competitive division. Ottawa’s season begins with a demanding road game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 3, a first test of whether its defensive identity and improved lineup can translate into a genuine playoff push.

The Ottawa Senators are in the thick of preseason evaluation rather than any standings chase, with Travis Green’s camp focused on sorting out lineup roles, checking health, and giving a long look to younger players and depth additions before the regular season begins. The biggest immediate test is their home exhibition against the Montréal Canadiens tonight, a chance to keep refining combinations and assess who is pushing for opening-night jobs.

Recent practice reporting has highlighted Jordan Spence’s return to the ice as he looks to build on last season, while Green has also been hopeful that several notable absences from a recent skate can get back into preseason action. That fits the larger tone around camp: the Senators are trying to balance established core players with players trying to force their way into the picture, and that means constant shuffling in practice and preseason line combinations. With preseason results carrying no standings implications, the focus is on sharpness, chemistry, and staying healthy, especially as players returning from bumps and bruises work their way back into the mix. The Canadiens game serves as another checkpoint in that process, not a measuring stick for the season itself, but a useful window into how the roster is taking shape.

The Ottawa Senators are in the thick of preseason camp, using the final days before their September 26 exhibition against Montréal to sort out the bottom of the roster, test defensive pairings, and get healthier after a rough stretch of early camp absences. Travis Green’s group has been leaning into detail work at practice while trying to settle roles behind the established core, and the biggest immediate question has been how to cover for Artem Zub, who is expected to miss the opening stretch with injury. That has opened the door for a cluster of blueliners and veteran hopefuls, including Ben Hutton on a professional tryout, while younger defenders such as Carter Yakemchuk and Jorian Donovan continue to get a look. Up front, the camp has also been about sorting depth jobs and special-teams fit, with players like Philip Tomasino, Michael Amadio, Nick Cousins, Warren Foegele, and Ridly Greig part of the mix as the coaching staff tries different combinations. In goal, Leevi Meriläinen has been the most notable camp casualty, reportedly heading to waivers after a difficult showing, while Linus Ullmark remains the anchor of the position. With preseason results carrying no standings implications, Ottawa’s focus is squarely on evaluation, health, and finding the right opening-night look.

The Ottawa Senators enter this preseason in a genuine evaluation phase, with camp focused on sorting out line combinations, defense pairings, and the final roster picture rather than chasing results. Early reporting has highlighted Andre Burakovsky being tested on the top line with Tim Stützle and Drake Batherson, while Fabian Zetterlund has been reunited with William Eklund as the club experiments with a more balanced forward mix. On the blue line, Carter Yakemchuk has been getting a close look beside Jake Sanderson, a sign the organization wants to see whether his impressive camp play can translate into an opening-night role. Thomas Chabot and Jordan Spence have also been part of the pairings under review, with the Senators clearly trying to settle the right blend of puck movement and defensive reliability.

Up front, the camp story is also about depth and competition. Dylan Cozens, Ridly Greig, Shane Pinto, Claude Giroux, Michael Amadio, Warren Foegele, Stephen Halliday, and others are all being slotted into different looks as the coaches gauge chemistry and versatility. Injured or returning players are another layer of the picture, and the preseason has given Ottawa a chance to keep building rhythm while managing health. Their next test is a preseason game on the road against the Toronto Maple Leafs on September 23, a useful measuring stick as the Senators continue trimming and refining the group.

The Ottawa Senators enter preseason with a camp that looks more about sorting roles than changing the core. Travis Green has spent the early days trying different combinations, including Andre Burakovsky on the top line with Tim Stützle and Drake Batherson, while also giving Fabian Zetterlund a familiar look alongside William Eklund after their San Jose connection. Carter Yakemchuk is one of the most watched young players, and early camp work has had him paired with Jake Sanderson as he pushes for a job on the blue line.

The club’s exhibition opener in Trois-Rivières showed how much depth is in the mix, with a younger, less-established group getting a long look and veteran pieces easing into game pace. Thomas Chabot, Hoyt Stanley, Djibril Toure, Dylan Cozens, and Samuel Ersson were among the players featured in camp and media availability, underscoring how many spots and subplots remain unsettled. With the preseason still in its opening stretch, the focus is on evaluation, not results.

The Senators’ next game is a preseason road matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs on September 23, and that outing should offer another chance to test combinations, monitor returning players, and continue trimming the roster.

The Ottawa Senators are deep into training camp with a clear emphasis on evaluation rather than results, as Travis Green and his staff sort through a large camp roster and test combinations ahead of preseason play. The biggest immediate storyline is health: Artem Zub is still working back from a lower-body issue and remains on a cautious rehab path, while Thomas Chabot is unavailable for Monday’s preseason opener for personal reasons. There is also a wide-open audition for bubble players and depth forwards, with recent camp reporting highlighting how the coaches are using drills and exhibition line looks to see who can handle NHL pace and system details.

The group has already settled into special-teams work, where Claude Giroux has continued to stand out as a veteran anchor on the second power-play unit and on the penalty kill. Young players and depth pieces are getting real looks, including Carter Yakemchuk, Stephen Halliday, and Tyler Boucher, while the organization also appears to be trimming the roster as camp progresses. The first exhibition test comes Monday in Trois-Rivières against the Montréal Canadiens, a useful measuring stick for an NHL-heavy lineup that still has plenty to settle before opening night.

The Ottawa Senators arrive at this preseason with a camp that already feels competitive and consequential. Travis Green has split the group early, but the message from training camp is clear: with exhibition games starting and the opener against Montréal set for Sept. 21, the team is narrowing the field and demanding clean, consistent play from roster hopefuls as it moves toward a fuller practice group. Stephen Halliday and Carter Yakemchuk have been among the most closely watched players, while Sammy Blais and Philip Tomasino are also trying to force their way into the picture.

There is a different tone around the blue line, where Tyler Kleven is treating camp like a battle for his place despite having established himself, and the defense corps is being tested with combinations that include Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, Jordan Spence and Artem Zub once healthy. In goal, Linus Ullmark and Leevi Meriläinen give Ottawa a strong backbone, while the rest of camp is about sorting depth, evaluating prospects, and deciding who survives the first round of cuts and assignments.

Offensively, the Senators are experimenting with skill and size across several looks, with Tim Stützle, Drake Batherson, Dylan Cozens, Claude Giroux and Ridly Greig part of a group that gives the staff plenty of options. The preseason feels less like a formality than an extended audition, with every shift carrying weight for players trying to turn camp momentum into a roster spot.

The Ottawa Senators opened training camp with immediate competition for roles, fresh lineup experiments, and a strong emphasis on how the newcomers fit into Travis Green’s structure. Early camp looks have featured Tim Stützle, Drake Batherson, Andre Burakovsky, Dylan Cozens, Fabian Zetterlund, and William Eklund in prominent forward combinations, while Claude Giroux continues to anchor a veteran presence as the staff tests balance and chemistry across the top six. The biggest defensive storyline has been the work-in-progress blue line, where Carter Yakemchuk has been getting a close look alongside Jake Sanderson while Artem Zub manages an injury and the team sorts out how its pairs might settle once everyone is available.

In goal, Linus Ullmark has looked sharp and set the tone for a camp that is moving quickly from drills into scrimmages. The Senators have also been giving prospects and depth players a real chance to make an impression, with younger forwards and defensemen rotating through meaningful reps as they chase openings on the roster. The mood around camp is energetic but practical: the team is using the preseason to evaluate depth, recover injured players, and identify who can help right away. Ottawa’s next exhibition test comes Monday against the Montréal Canadiens, another chance to keep refining combinations before the games begin to matter.