Browsing: Senators

OTTAWA — Whether Shane Pinto is a second- or third-line centre could be a matter of millions.

Now, with the Ottawa Senators forward leading the league in goals and slated to reach restricted free agency on July 1, the matter is a particularly pressing one.

Pinto plays the toughest matchups, scores and kills penalties. Yet, on paper, he slots in as Ottawaâ€s third-line centre. Thanks to a scorching start to the season with seven goals while still taking on the toughest defensive matchups, Pinto has established himself as Ottawaâ€s second-most-important centre.

Nominally the third-line centre, he would be within his rights asking for more than the $7.1 million that official second-linecentre Dylan Cozens makes.

The Senators have offered Pinto an eight-year contract, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Saturday. Per Friedman, there is “nothing imminent†between the two sides, but the Senators wanted to show Pintoâ€s camp that they are serious about finding a deal.

If Pinto left in free agency or was traded, he would not be easily replaced. He is integral to Ottawaâ€s viability in becoming a Cup contender someday.

Thatâ€s why a long-term deal makes sense.

Pinto will only just be hitting his prime at age 25 when next season begins. Ottawa has $30 million in cap space. With the salary cap increasing, the Senators have money to dish out. Plus the majority of their young core is locked up long term, although Brady Tkachuk, Drake Batherson and Thomas Chabot are all set to hit free agency within the next three years.

Ottawa should sign Pinto to an eight-year contract. The entirety of what should be his best years would take place in Ottawa, unlike a replacement prospect or a 29-year-old big-ticket free agent.

It would enhance the Senators for now and into the future.

Pinto could be considered among the Senators’ five most irreplaceable players, alongside Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson and former Vezina winner Linus Ullmark.

Since last season, no Senator has started shifts in the offensive zone less frequently than Pinto. He sits second in defensive zone starts, too.

Whenever Ottawa needs to hold on to a game and shut down its opponentâ€s best, Pinto is on the ice. In the first round last season, Pinto helped hold the top line of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and Matthew Knies to three goals in six games at five-on-five.

Pinto is also Ottawa’s most trusted penalty killer and has been effective scoring short-handed, leading the team with five shorties last season.

“When you play good on both sides of the puck, good things happen,†coach Travis Green said.

Itâ€s also worth noting that Stutzle — typically the Senators’ first-line centre — played left wing last weekend with Cozens in the middle, and both scored while paired together. The more Stutzle plays left wing, the more important it is to have Pinto as an option at centre.

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Pintoâ€s growth upside and scoring punch

Twenty-goal scorers are hard to come by, especially for a Ottawa Senators that has struggled to put the puck in the net. Pinto is on an absolute heater right now — so much so that, hilariously, heâ€s currently on pace to score more goals in a single season than Wayne Gretzky ever did.

At five-on-five, he has an 60 per cent expected goals share, which would be the best of his career by far.

Even if he comes off the boil, thereâ€s reason to believe his career trajectory is pointing up.

Against the New York Islanders, Pinto scored, but he also had six shots including a penalty shot. Heâ€s on pace for the most shots of his career, which could turn a 20-goal scorer into a 30-goal threat.

“Heâ€s one of those guys that when we talked about our team improving, that youâ€d hope that heâ€d come back and be a better player than he was last year,†Green said. “Weâ€re not sure where he ends up as a player.

“His details are sharp. Heâ€s got a quick release. He works hard. Thatâ€s how we want to play.â€

Pinto wonâ€t shoot 33 per cent for the rest of the season, but heâ€s a career 13.4 per cent shooter who scored 21 goals last season even though he went goalless for 19 games after coming back from injury to start the season. Heâ€s averaged a goal every four games in his last three seasons, a 21-goal pace, from age 22 to 24.

And all that while playing mainly a defensive role. But Green has now started to give Pinto minutes on the power play, befitting his hot hand.

The one knock on Pinto is his playmaking. He’s a scorer whose goal tally exceeds his assists. Nonetheless, in every season since 2022-23, he has set a career high in either goals, assists or points. He always improves: why would that stop at age 25?

In the new world of rising NHL salaries, $8 million is set to become the new $6 million. Recently, we analyzed contracts from excellent defensive centres who also contribute significantly offensively, including Philip Danault (six years x $5.5 million), Anton Lundell (six years x $5 million) and Anthony Cirelli (eight years x $6.25 million). Lots of fives and sixes, but the cap will have gone up by around $20 million since those players signed.

Letâ€s say the Senators signed Pinto to an eight-year deal worth $7.5 million annually. That would make up 7 per cent of next yearâ€s likely $104 million cap, which is only expected to rise further in the coming years. What may trigger sticker shock now would possibly look like underpayment in three to four years. Remember when people thought Tkachuk, Sanderson and Stutzle were overpaid when they re-signed? Those contracts now look like bargains.

Ottawa has $30 million in space — it can afford slightly overpaying without adversely hurting the roster. And if youâ€re Pinto, do you say no to a $60 million dollar deal?

With a new collective bargaining agreement set to take effect, the Senators can only sign Pinto for eight years until next summer. Then, if Pinto went elsewhere, his maximum term would be seven years for re-signing (or in a sign-and-trade) and seix years elsewhere. For Pinto to recoup that $60 million, heâ€d need to be paid $10 million on a six-year contract, or $8.5 million over seven years. Essentially, Ottawa could pay less than market value, but still give Pinto more money — thatâ€s an advantage the Senators should use.

Pinto would be 33 at the end of an eight-year deal — hardly old. If youâ€re a small-market team like the Senators that might not be able to pay to the cap moving forward, you sign your players to high AAVs that you hope age well over time, aiming to find value where you can.

One caveat is that Pinto’s leverage in negotiations is likely at its peak as he leads the league in goals. Every time Pinto scores, Nick Cousins shouts out “Cha-Ching†in the Senators locker room: ‘Poor Cous†knows when someoneâ€s about to be rich. That might tempt the team to wait a little before signing off on a deal.

The Senators know Pinto and his importance to the team. Heâ€s one of Ottawa’s best players — and he should be paid that way for eight years.

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Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on the “Saturday Headlines” segment of Hockey Night in Canada that the Sens offered the young centreman an eight-year contract extension.

However, Friedman believes there is still work to be done on both sides.

“I’m not saying anything is imminent, and I don’t necessarily think anything is close, but what I do believe is the Senators wanted to show that they are serious about putting a stake in the ground to keep him.”

Pinto is in the second year of a two-year, $7.5-million contract, and becomes a restricted free agent at the end of the season.

The 24-year-old has been a real bright spot for a Senators squad that’s gotten off to a start. Through six games, Pinto leads the league in goals with seven and also has an assist.

Ottawa selected the forward in the second round of the 2019 draft. In 216 games, he’s notched 115 points (58 goals, 57 assists) and has one goal and one assist through six post-season contests.

But Pinto’s value extends beyond the scoresheet. He consistently gets the toughest defensive assignments from head coach Travis Green.

“Room to grow, heâ€s taken steps every year in the league,†said Green on Oct. 13. “As far as matchups, heâ€s really learned that side of the game.”

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OTTAWA — For Ottawa Senators fans, déjà vu comes in autumn. When the leaves are falling, so are the Senators down in the standings.

Itâ€s only been five games with a 2-3-0 record: not terrible, but not good either. A gutsy late comeback win against the Seattle Kraken on Thursday complicated a “sky is falling†vibe in Sensland while allowing for a much-needed ray of hope.

Compounding a bad start on the scoreboard for Ottawa with losing Brady Tkachuk for six to eight weeks after thumb surgery is a massive blow to a Senators team that wanted to take the next step.

With a five-game sample to work with, let’s take a look at what’s concerning about the Senators’ slow start and whatâ€s not.

Bleak outlook with Tkachuk out long-term

If you take any team’s best player out of the lineup for a long time, the team will be significantly worse. Thatâ€s the case with Tkachuk and the Senators. Tkachuk is Ottawaâ€s best play driver, top scorer, and emotional leader.

There will be a clear goal for the Senators without their captain.

“We have to have that belief in our identity that the team is not one player,†said Lars Eller.

Tkachuk’s absence for now may be mitigated by Shane Pinto, who is on an absolute heater, leading the league in goals with six. Ottawa needs depth scoring in the absence of their captain, and when your third line centre is on pace for 98 goals that helps.

Even if Pinto scores 30, thatâ€s a big boost for a team that struggles to score with or without Tkachuk.

Coach Travis Green said after Thursdayâ€s game that he’s leaving Pinto alone because heâ€s so hot with his scoring touch. Hopefully, Green will have that chance with others soon, including Drake Batherson, Fabian Zetterlund and Dylan Cozens. Regardless, Ottawa will struggle to conjure up all of Tkachukâ€s firepower.

Goals against down a man count the same as goals allowed at even strength. If you canâ€t kill penalties in the NHL, your route to winning games and making the playoffs will be terminated. That’s happening in Ottawa: they’ve given up nine goals while shorthanded on 20 attempts.

The only time Ottawa’s penalty kill has looked good was against Nashville, going six for six while shorthanded.

“We saw a version of what we want to be, as far as being aggressive,†said Green about his shorthanded unit.

The hot topic in Sens land has been the team’s use of a diamond penalty kill formation. It was unsuccessful last season, producing the 19th-best kill — and now is second-last at a truly awful 55 per cent in the first five games.

Last season, the Senators gave up the seventh most high-danger chances on their penalty kill; so far this season, they rank eighth in high-danger chances allowed per 60 according to Natural Stat Trick.

“Thereâ€s been a few breakdowns. There’s also a few lucky goals that kind of found their way,†said Green about the penalty kill.

You make your own luck. Sometimes youâ€re unlucky because youâ€re bad.

The problem with the diamond formation is that players are planted in a zone on the ice: they are mostly playing the zone, not the man. Sportsnet.ca spoke to a former NHLer in the off-season who explained that “you donâ€t want to think, just play†when youâ€re on the penalty kill. A byproduct of the zonal marking has been that the Sens often cede possession to the best players in the world: the goal is to limit them to the outside, but give a player like Connor McDavid time and he’ll burn you. Match that with the half-second it takes for a Senator to make a read in the zone coverage. That happened on Thursday when Chandler Stephenson walked right into the slot untouched to give the Kraken a 3-2 lead in the third.

If itâ€s broken, fix it.

Chabot-Jensen are struggling

Thomas Chabot and Nick Jensen were a revelation to begin last season, with stellar plus-minus and analytics up until Jensen hurt his hip in November. For the rest of the 2024-25 season, the duo was fine but not elite.

After off-season hip surgery, Jensen hasnâ€t looked the same, and the pairing has struggled. Theyâ€ve been outscored five to two, while having a putrid 38 per cent expected goals share. Itâ€s still early, but itâ€s worrisome that they donâ€t have the spark so far.

Senators need saves, but improvement is showing

It starts with Linus Ullmark, who allowed 10 goals on 52 shots in his first two games. But in his last two starts, he has rebounded, stopping 52 of his last 57. Ullmarkâ€s track record in Ottawa has been great highs and some lows. The middle ground still looks to be a good-to-great starting goaltender.

The Senators currently have a team save percentage of .818, which is surely not what they will finish with. It’s only five games, too. The good news is that Ullmark was exceptional against Seattle, making stellar save after stellar save to give his team a chance for a miraculous comeback. There are concerns after Ullmark admitted to less-than-ideal off-season training preparations, but heâ€s trending in the right direction despite an .862 save percentage so far.

Meanwhile, there is real cause for concern with Leevi Merilainen, who was dreadful in his first start against Buffalo on Wednesday, allowing seven goals on 30 shots. Ottawa bet big on the 23-year-old with just 14 games of experience heading into the season. Nevertheless, Merilainen has a great AHL track record and wonâ€t allow seven goals a game every start.

Give it time. The fact that the Senators are 2-3-0 with that poor a save percentage is a testament to the team.

One clear concern is that Ottawa has allowed the first goal in each of its first five games.

Donâ€t fret, because here comes some optimism after all that gloom.

Improved play at five-on-five

Last season, Ottawaâ€s Achilles heel wasnâ€t goaltending or even the penalty kill but the severe lack of goals at five-on-five, where the team finished second last. This season, Ottawa has been middle of the pack, averaging the 18th most five-on-five goals per game early on. But when you look under the hood, there is more reason to believe.

The Senators sit eighth in expected goals share at 60 per cent at five-on-five, while 11th in expected goals for per game at five-on-five. Against Buffalo and Tampa Bay, Ottawa didnâ€t allow a shot on goal at five-on-five for over 20 minutes. Impressive stuff.

“Our five-on-five game is close (to where we want it to be)â€, said Green.

Plus, Ottawa is tilting the ice with Jake Sanderson and Jordan Spence on the first and third defensive pairings, respectively, with over 58 per cent for Sanderson and 67 per cent for Spence in terms of expected-goals share.

If all the strong five-on-five play persists over a long season, the Senators will be in a great position to start finding ways to win.

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They are poised to score more

The Senators have been unlucky, with the worst PDO at .916 in the NHL. Itâ€s a statistic that combines a teamâ€s save percentage and shooting percentage, used to suggest if a team is lucky or not.

In Ottawaâ€s case, they have created a lot of shots but havenâ€t scored with a low shooting percentage, while they’ve allowed many goals on few shots. In five games, you can sometimes lose three because of bad luck mixed with some bad goaltending. Over 82 games, you are likely to return to the mean.

In the NHL, with so much parity, the little details make the difference between fortune to misfortune. Ottawa could be on track for a year from hell, but more likely, they will prove to be a better team than they’ve shown so far.

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The Ottawa Senators’ captain will be out even longer than initially expected.

Brady Tkachuk underwent surgery for his right hand injury and will miss six to eight weeks, the team announced on Thursday.

It initially looked as though Tkachuk was set to miss at least four weeks, but with the player opting for surgery, the timeline for a return has been extended.

Senators owner Michael Andlauer told reporters on Wednesday that the team was seeking a second opinion to determine if surgery would be required.

Tkachuk appeared to injure his right hand Monday night when he was cross-checked into the boards by Nashville Predators defenceman Roman Josi five minutes into their game. Coach Travis Green told reporters Tuesday that Tkachuk would be out a “significant†amount of time with what the team was calling an upper-body injury.

He stayed in the game, a 4-1 loss to the Predators, before leaving midway through the third period. Green estimated Tkachuk would be out for four weeks.

The 26-year-old has been a key player for the Senators in recent years. Through three games this season, he has three assists and 10 hits.

Last season, Tkachuk posted 29 goals and 26 assists through 72 games while laying 228 hits and firing 296 shots on goal. He added four goals and three assists in the Senators’ six-game first-round loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the playoffs.

Over his eight-year career, all of which has been spent in Canada’s capital, Tkachuk has 191 goals and 216 assists in 515 games.

He was one of six players named to the preliminary U.S. Olympic men’s hockey roster. The tournament in Italy is set to run Feb. 11-22.

–with files from The Associated Press

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The Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres both entered Wednesday night’s fourth game of the season searching for answers.

For the Senators, it was a chance to rebound from back-to-back losses to Florida and Nashville. For the Sabres, it was about finding any sign of life after an 0–3 start that had some fans in Buffalo wearing paper bags over their heads and calling for their GM’s firing.

So Sens fans hoped this game would be a slump-buster. It was, but not for Ottawa.

The Sabres exploded for eight goals — four times more than they’d scored in their first three games combined — in an 8–4 home win over the Senators. Eight different Sabres recorded multi-point nights, with Zach Benson leading the way with four assists and Cobden native Jack Quinn scoring twice.

For Ottawa, it was their third straight loss, dropping them to 1–3–0 on the young season. As they began life without injured captain Brady Tkachuk for a good long while, the team has now allowed 18 goals during their 3-game funk.

The game’s weird tone was set early. Playing his first game as Ottawa’s full-time backup, Leevi Meriläinen was victimized early by the flukiest of goals — a puck that missed the net by a mile, bounced off the end boards, floated over the crossbar, and banked in off his back.

Meriläinen finished with 19 saves in a rough introduction to the new season.

Sens head coach Travis Green was able to find some silver linings.

“It definitely did not feel like an 8-4 hockey game,” Green told the media after the game. “We spent a lot of time in their zone. Some weird goals went in tonight. When you lose a game like that, you hate to say that your team played pretty well. But we did a lot of good things tonight.

“I thought there were a few moments in the game that we got a little loose with our puck play. They got a little momentum on a couple of those goals, especially the short-handed one. And yeah, we’ve got to stick with the process, though.”

The Senators showed flashes of pushback. Shane Pinto continued his hot start with his fifth goal of the season, while Jordan Spence added three assists in another strong performance. But every Ottawa rally was short-lived — undone by defensive lapses and ridiculous bounces.

“There’s some good and some not so good,” said Thomas Chabot. “We got momentum back in the third, scored two big goals, and then right after their timeout, we allow one. That just can’t happen. But a lot of it is our own mistakes — things we can fix as a team.

“It’s frustrating, but we’ve got to stay together and battle through this.”

The Sabres have now won five straight games against the Senators — their longest active streak against any opponent, according to NHL.com.

Drake Batherson, playing in his first game since last spring’s playoffs, admitted that the team was frustrated but focused on moving forward.

“We were outshooting them, outplaying them there for a while,” Batherson said. “But I’ll give them credit — they’ve got some skill, and we gave up some odd-man rushes. And they’ve got the skill to put it in the back of the net.

“I think any time you lose big like that, it’s better when you play the next day, I think. You can kind of forget about it quicker. So we’re excited. Get home. And yeah, the best thing is playing the next day and getting right back at it.”

That’s exactly what the Sens will have to do when they host the Seattle Kraken on Thursday. Because if Wednesday’s loss to a desperate Sabres team was any indication, the Senators’ own desperation needs to show up fast.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. — Jack Quinn gave Buffalo the lead for the first time this season with a shot that missed the net and still went in, and the Sabres had two more power-play scores and a short-handed goal to beat the Ottawa Senators 8-4 on Wednesday night for their first victory.

Quinn got it started midway through the first period on a man advantage, firing a one-timer from the slot that sailed just right and over the net, bounced off the glass and fluttered in off goalie Leevi Merilainenâ€s back. Quinn also scored in the third period.

The Sabres broke through after being outscored 10-2 in losing three straight to open the season — falling 4-0 at home to the New York Rangers and 3-1 at Boston and at home against Colorado. They have never opened 0-4.

Jason Zucker scored two power-play goals in a 1:57 span in Buffalo’s four-goal second period. Ryan McLeod scored short-handed and Alex Tuch had an even-strength goal in the second. McLeod added a goal in the third, and Jiri Kulich had an empty-netter.

Shane Pinto scored his firth goal of the season for Ottawa, and Tim Stutzle Jake Sanderson and Lars Eller also connected. The Senators have lost three straight after an opening victory over Tampa Bay.

The teams combined for four goals in a 2:37 span early in the third. Pinto and Eller cut it to 5-4, and McLeod and Quinn countered for Buffalo to restore the three goal lead.

Ottawa played without captain Brady Tkachuk. He’s is expected to be sidelined at least four weeks because of a right hand injury sustained Monday

Senators owner Michael Andlauer said Wednesday that Tkachuk is having a second opinion to determine if surgery will be required for a right arm/wrist injury. Tkachuk was hurt Monday night at Nashville when he was cross-checked into the boards by Roman Josi.

Fellow forward Drake Batherson made his season debut. He sustained an upper-body injury early in training camp.

Senators: Host Seattle on Thursday night.

Sabres: Host Florida on Saturday night.

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Fans of the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres haven’t had a ton to cheer about in the early going. Not only are their teams sitting in the bottom two spots in the Atlantic Division, they’ve both absorbed key injuries to first line players. Here’s what to expect in Buffalo.

SENATORS (1-2-0) at SABRES (0-3-0)

7 p.m. | SN1, RDS

Shock to the System for Both Clubs

Both the Senators and Sabres have been hit hard to start the 2025-26 season — and not just on the scoreboard.

Each team lost a key piece of its core to long-term injury during the opening week of the campaign. Sens captain Brady Tkachuk and Sabres centre Josh Norris — best friends off the ice — will both be sidelined for several weeks, leaving their clubs searching for answers on both replacements and shaky starts.

Ottawa enters Wednesday night’s matchup at 1-2-0, while Buffalo has stumbled out of the gate at 0-3-0, the two worst records in the Atlantic Division. The Sabres’ biggest problem has been offense — they’ve scored just two goals total through three games. But they ran the table on Ottawa last season so nothing will be taken for granted in this one.

Game Notes

• Drake Batherson will make his season debut for Ottawa after missing the first week with an upper-body injury from training camp.

• Brady Tkachuk is expected to be out at least four weeks after suffering a hand or wrist injury in Monday’s 4-1 loss to Nashville. It’ll be a much longer absence if surgery is required. Michael Amadio will move up to play on the top line, alongside Tim Stutzle and Fabian Zetterlund.
• Leevi Merilainen makes his season debut for the Senators.

• Buffalo rookie Zach Benson returns to the lineup after missing three games with a facial injury sustained in practice on Oct. 8.

• Jiri Kulich draws in after practicing on the Sabres’ fifth line Tuesday.

• Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and forward Jordan Greenway both returned to practice Tuesday but remain out indefinitely.

Projected Lineups (from NHL.com)

Ottawa Senators

Forwards

Fabian Zetterlund – Tim Stützle – Michael Amadio

David Perron – Dylan Cozens – Drake Batherson

Ridly Greig – Shane Pinto – Claude Giroux

Nick Cousins – Lars Eller – Olle Lycksell

Defensemen

Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub

Thomas Chabot – Nick Jensen

Tyler Kleven – Jordan Spence

Goaltenders

Leevi Meriläinen

Linus Ullmark

Buffalo Sabres

Forwards

Zach Benson – Tage Thompson – Alex Tuch

Jason Zucker – Ryan McLeod – Josh Doan

Jack Quinn – Jiri Kulich – Justin Danforth

Beck Malenstyn – Tyson Kozak – Peyton Krebs

Defensemen

Bowen Byram – Rasmus Dahlin

Owen Power – Conor Timmins

Jacob Bryson – Ryan Johnson

Goaltenders

Alex Lyon

Colten Ellis

Scratched: Josh Dunne, Mason Geertsen

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OTTAWA — Good teams survive the loss of their most important player.

The injury appears to have occurred on Monday when Predators captain Roman Josi slammed Tkachuk with a cross-check from behind, causing him to go awkwardly into the boards.

Tkachuk was irate, possibly a telling sign that he knew it was a significant injury right away. He continued playing but didnâ€t in the last nine minutes of the game.

According to Senators head coach Travis Green, Tkachuk will be out “a significant amount of time,†or, more specifically, a minimum of four weeks.

There is still no clarity as to whether Tkachuk broke his hand or wrist on the play, and whether he will need surgery. If surgery is required, recovery could be even longer.  Zach Hyman broke his wrist and dislocated it in May and wonâ€t return until November.

“At the end of the day, you canâ€t replace a player like that,†said Drake Batherson, who will make his own return from injury Wednesday against the Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+).

You can fill the Canadian Tire Centre with all the clichés about what makes a great captain, and theyâ€d all fit Tkachuk.

The Senators will miss his goal production. Tkachuk has led or been second in goals for the Senators each of the last four seasons, including leading the team last season with 29 goals in just 72 games.

Then thereâ€s the fighting, sheer toughness and the not-fun-to-play-against component he brings to every game.

And theyâ€ll miss his passionate commitment to win: Leadership.

Itâ€s a massive loss, but the Senators have experience to lean on from last season when Tkachuk went down after the 4 Nations Face-Off. The Senators went 5-4-1 from late February to early April, good enough to propel themselves into the playoffs. During that stretch, Tim Stutzle had multiple different linemates, including David Perron, Batherson and even longtime AHLer Angus Crookshank. The Senators, always a stout defensive team, became even more suffocating, with two shutouts while allowing 2.73 goals per game, significantly lower than their season average of 2.93. Defensive, low-event hockey kept the Senators in games.

Ottawa will need to replicate that and more this time around. Luckily for the Senators, the schedule for the next four weeks is light, with only four of their 15 games against teams that made the playoffs last year. There are winnable games that should allow the Senators to pick up points without Tkachuk.Â

Tkachuk’s injury will shift the onus for offensive production onto Stutzle. Who will be his left winger?

The only natural left-winger the Senators have on their roster is Olle Lycksell, who has just one goal in his 46-game career. Not ideal.

Perron and Ridly Greig are the next two left wingers on the depth chart, with Claude Giroux and Fabian Zetterlund as other possibilities. The Senators donâ€t just need someone to step up and fill that spot to Stutzleâ€s left, they also need players on every line to step up their play.

But Green loves his options, and Tkachuk’s injury gives him opportunities to juggle. There are lots of moving parts, and thereâ€s no question Green will have a blender out to try new combinations, as he should.

The next month will be a real litmus test for Zetterlund and Dylan Cozens, neither of whom has yet to match expectations since coming to the Senators before the trade deadline last season.

In Zetterlund’s case, he has been playing on the right side of Stutzle and Tkachuk but is comfortable as a right-shot left winger. He has had great analytics with Stutzle and Tkachuk on the top line, but is still looking for his first point through three games this season after signing a three-year, $12.75-million contract in the off-season. Zetterlund has two goals and five points in 29 games with the Senators, including playoffs. Sometimes stats speak for themselves, but Zetterlund was once a 20-goal scorer with the Sharks, and the Senators are counting on him to do it again.

Similar to Zetterlund, there is a ton of pressure on Cozens to step up without Tkachuk. That was the case even before the injury. So far, heâ€s been fine and produced on the power play, but not at five-on-five. For Ottawa to become a great team, a lot rides on whether Cozens is the 30-goal scorer from three seasons ago or the player who hasnâ€t reached over 20 in any other year. Like with Zetterlund, if Cozens doesnâ€t score much with Tkachuk out, the Senators will be starved for offence.

Maybe Cozens is better as a finishing winger on Stutzleâ€s right side. Shane Pinto, who plays the more important matchups while producing more than Cozens, could slide into the second-line centre role.

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• 32 Thoughts: The Podcast

  Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.

  Latest episode

Another option in the top six for the Senators is Batherson, who has been a consistent scorer, with three consecutive 60-point seasons.

Interestingly, Batherson hasnâ€t played much with Stutzle over the years, but he did unite with the German in the majority of games when Tkachuk was out last season. When the two were on the ice together last season, the Senators had a 57 per cent expected goals share at five-on-five. It could be time to reunite Ottawaâ€s two most dynamic players with Tkachuk out. Batherson might have the pace and skill to match Stutzle, if he’s fully up to speed after missing the end of the pre-season.

But the obvious solution to filling the hole on Stutzle’s wing could be hiding in plain sight. Giroux could return to the top line, where heâ€s played with Stutzle the past three seasons alongside Tkachuk. The elder statesman has looked as effective this season as last, by analytics and the eye test. The problem with moving Giroux is that this season the third line of Giroux-Pinto-Greig has been the Senators’ best unit. Theyâ€ve contributed three of Ottawaâ€s five five-on-five goals with an expected goals share of 63 per cent. It would be risky to break that group up.

Regardless of how Ottawa tries to make up for Tkachukâ€s absence with scoring by committee, the Senators are in a win-now mode. A regression to missing the playoffs would be a “disappointment,†owner Michael Andlauer has said previously. It’s still only Week 2 but if the Senators free-fall down the standings without Tkachuk, they wonâ€t get the reward of a high first-round draft pick this season due to the punishment for the botched Evgenii Dadonov trade (they were docked their first-round pick). The Senators have zero incentive to tank.

The Panthers could serve as inspiration for the Senators during this next stretch. They’re playing without their captain (Aleksander Barkov) and their Tkachuk (older brother Matthew) and thumped the Senators 6-2 last weekend. Theyâ€re fine. Ottawa is no Florida, but to even come close, the Senators will need to emulate the Panthers. Next man up.Â

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With the return of Tyler Kleven on Monday afternoon, the Ottawa Senators suddenly found themselves carrying eight defensemen on their NHL roster, and that was one too many for their liking. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the team has opted to place Donovan Sebrango on waivers as of Tuesday.

Sebrango had served as Klevenâ€s direct replacement in the Senators†first two games down in Florida, but with Kleven now healthy, it appears the Sens have decided to send Sebrango back to Belleville of the American Hockey League, where heâ€s spent most of the past two seasons. His two games with Ottawa over the past week have now doubled his career games played total at the NHL level. He made his NHL debut with the Sens back in January.

Behind Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, and Kleven, Sebrango is generally seen as the next man up on the left side of the organization’s depth chart. That much was made clear in the first two games of the season.

But he may soon have some competition. The Sens recently strengthened the left side of the B-Sens blue line by signing free agent Scott Harrington to a two-year AHL deal. Harrington brings more than 250 games of NHL experience. Everyone else on the left side in Belleville, and we’ll include Sebrango’s four games of NHL experience, have combined for four games of NHL experience.

If Sebrango clears waivers and reports to Belleville, head coach David Bell will suddenly have his own left side surplus on the back end. In Ottawa, the Sens appear to favour one extra defenseman and one extra forward.

Drake Batherson is set to be activated from injured reserve in time for Wednesday nightâ€s road game against the Buffalo Sabres. So he’ll likely be replaced on the IR by Brady Tkachuk after the captain suffered a right-hand or wrist injury during Mondayâ€s home opener. The Sens are saying Tkachuk might be out for a month or more and haven’t ruled out surgery.

Senators Captain Brady Tkachuk Likely To Miss A Month Of Action (At Least)
Following an uninspiring 6-2 drubbing at the hands of the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers on Saturday, Ottawa Senators fans were hoping for an inspiring bounce-back performance in the team’s home opener on Monday afternoon.

Sebrango was acquired by the Senators in July 2023 as part of the Alex DeBrincat trade. DeBrincat was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Sebrango, Dominik Kubalik, a conditional first-round pick, and Detroitâ€s 2024 fourth-round selection. That first-round pick was later part of the trade package sent to Boston for goalie Linus Ullmark.

Still just 23, Sebrango—a former World Junior player with Team Canada—could draw interest from other NHL teams on the waiver wire. The Ottawa-born defenseman likely has a soft spot for his hometown club, but with three quality left-shot defensemen under contract for at least the next two seasons, his path to full-time NHL status appears blocked for the foreseeable future.

More Sens Headlines at The Hockey News Ottawa Senators Site:
Tkachuk Injured As Senators Drop Home Opener To Nashville
Another Tough Break For Former Senator Josh Norris
Senators Injuries: Kleven And Batherson Provide Health Updates
Yakemchuk Reflects On Playing First Pro Game Saturday
Senators Mauled By Florida 6-2, Penalty Killing Struggles Continue
Jordan Spence: A Healthy Scratch For Sens Season Opener

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Oct 13, 2025; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Ottawa Senators center Dylan Cozens (24) and Nashville Predators defenseman Nick Perbix (48) track the puck following a save by goalie Juuse Saros (74) in the first period at the Canadian Tire Centre. Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

After getting three out of a possible four points in their two home games to open the season, the Nashville Predators took to the road to start a four-game road swing across Canada.

Their first stop was Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa Monday against the Senators in an early afternoon contest on Canadian Thanksgiving Day.

In the end, it was the Predators who gave thanks, coming away with a 4-1 victory to start the season 2-0-1 and notch their first road win. Jonathan Marchessault scored two goals including an empty-netter, while Ryan O’Reilly lit the lamp for the second time this season, and Cole Smith also got an empty-net tally.

The Preds started and finished strong, something that has been an issue for the team over the past year. Juuse Saros has looked unstoppable through three games, stopping 30 of 31 shots he faced on Monday.

After playing in the first two games, Brady Martin was a healthy scratch against the Senators. This is part of his development plan, according to head coach Andrew Brunette. He will most likely be back in the lineup for Tuesdayâ€s game in Toronto against the Maple Leafs.

Here are three takeaways from the Predators’ victory.

The Predators Showed Intensity Early

Through much of last season and the first two games of this young campaign, the Predators have had a tendency to come out of the gate sluggish.

Against the Sens, they showed some intensity early in the first period and did a nice job forechecking, creating turnovers and passing the puck.

There were some lags, of course, including a 10-minutes span during the middle frame when the Predators failed to get off a shot.

Marchessault finally got the Predators on the board at 12:21 of the period for his first goal of the season. Michael Bunting and Erik Haula each picked up an assist.

It was difficult to get into a consistent flow in the first period, with 14 penalty minutes assessed between the two teams. But the Preds showed some signs of taking the game to their opponent right from the start, which is especially important on the road.

The real test will come when Nashville plays the second of a back-to-back Tuesday in Toronto.

Special Teams Are Once Again A Mixed Bag

The Preds†penalty-kill unit came into Monday perfect in five chances through the first two games of the season. Aside from one blemish that netted the Sens’ only goal late in the third period, the PK was solid once again.

The unit was put to the test early against Ottawa, and successfully converted on three chances in the first period alone.

During a Sens power play for delay of game, Fedor Svechkov went to the sin bin for interference with 37 seconds left on the man advantage.

Roman Josi then went off for cross-checking Brady Tkachuk to put Ottawa in a 5-on-3. Cole Smith almost got a shorthanded tally for the Predators on a nice setup from Erik Haula at 5-on-4, but Ottawa goalie Linus Ullmark denied him. Nashville got through the entire sequence successfully.

For the day, Nashville went 4-for-5 on the PK. Ridly Greig’s power-play tally at 17:57 broke the perfect streak of 9-for-9 on the season.

It’s a great start for a unit that finished seventh in the NHL at 81.5%.

The power play, however, continued to struggle. The Preds did not score on all six of their chances with the man advantage.

It wasn’t for lack of trying. Filip Forsberg was robbed twice by Ullmark on two great scoring opportunities after a breakaway on the first power play.

Steven Stamkos had another chance on a later man advantage when Shane Pinto went off for holding Forsberg. Once again, Ullmark was up to the task.

Including Monday’s game, the Predators power-play unit is 1-for-15 through three games. Fortunately, it hasn’t hurt them to a great deal to this point, but that will certainly change over the long haul if it doesn’t improve.

Goaltending Made A Difference Once Again

Coming into the season, there were questions about whether Juuse Saros could regain his form of 2023-24, when he posted a 2.86 goals-against average and .906 save percentage.

Through the first three games, the Finnish netminder has answered that question with a resounding YES. He has 88 saves on 93 shots faced, sporting a .945 save percentage.

On Monday, he stopped 30 of 31 shots and made numerous key saves, including one following O’Reilly’s goal.

Along with that, the Preds defense has backed him up well, blocking shots and making the difference in the two victories.

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