Ottawa Senators 2026-27 season preview for Canadian bettors
The Ottawa Senators find themselves in a confusing position ahead of the start of the 2026-2027 season. On one hand, the team made the Stanley Cup playoffs for a second consecutive year last season. On the other hand, they traded captain and franchise leader Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers.
Do the Senators suddenly find themselves in a rebuild? Or are they legitimate contenders to compete for a playoff spot once again in 2027? Here’s what Canadian sportsbooks are saying about the Ottawa Senators betting markets ahead of the start of the regular season.
2025-26 Ottawa Senators Season Recap
The Senators were a surprisingly strong team last year, finishing with a 44-27-11 record and 99 points. That earned them fifth place in the extremely competitive Atlantic Division. The Senators claimed the second Eastern Conference wild card spot, but were swept 4-0 in the opening round by the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes.
Tim Stützle led the Senators in scoring with 34 goals and 49 assists, while Drake Batherson enjoyed a breakout offensive campaign with 33 goals and 71 points.
Goaltender Linus Ullmark emerged as the team’s top option between the pipes. The 33-year-old made 49 starts, posting a solid 28-12 record with a sparkling 2.73 GAA and three shutouts. Ullmark took a midseason leave of absence, but returned and played for the Sens in the playoffs.
What Is Different for the Senators in 2026-27?
The biggest change is obvious: team captain Brady Tkachuk is gone.
Ottawa traded its captain to the Florida Panthers in June in a blockbuster deal that brought back the No. 9 and No. 25 picks in the 2026 NHL Draft, a second-round pick in 2027 and a conditional first-round pick in 2029. Tkachuk leaves after eight seasons with Ottawa and 463 points in 572 regular-season games.
The Senators moved quickly to replace Tkachuk’s offensive production in the lineup. The team acquired William Eklund from San Jose in a trade and acquired Andre Burakovsky from the Chicago Blackhawks.
As for the team captaincy, there are a few options. Veteran Claude Giroux is back for another season and would be a logical fit as team captain. The Sens could opt to go with a younger leader, with a player like Thomas Chabot or Drake Batherson.
For Canadian bettors, the biggest question is whether Ottawa can maintain its 2025-26 level without Tkachuk. The Senators have enough young talent to remain a playoff contender, but the stiff competition in the Atlantic Division provides little margin for error.
The Senators look capable of competing for another playoff berth, but bettors should be cautious about expecting a major leap in progress. The loss of Tkachuk removes one of the team’s biggest sources of physicality, leadership and scoring, and replacing all three elements will likely require a collective effort. It’s hard to find the leadership and grit that Tkachuk brought to the team, and the Sens will be seeking ways to fill that void while also staying competitive in the Eastern Conference.
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| Feature image courtesy AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar vis Canadian Press Images |
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