There’s a lot to like about the 2025–26 Ottawa Senators roster.
Brady Tkachuk – Tim Stützle – Claude Giroux
David Perron – Dylan Cozens – Drake Batherson
Ridly Greig – Shane Pinto – Fabian Zetterlund
Nick Cousins – Lars Eller – Michael Amadio
Arthur Kaliyev
Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot – Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven – Jordan Spence
Nikola Matinpalo
Linus Ullmark
Leevi Meriläinen
It’s been a long time since the Senators have iced a roster this deep. Top to bottom, there are very few soft spots, and that's not something you've been able to say very often about this team. But every roster in the league has its question marks. Here are ten burning questions facing the club this season:
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1. Is the defence physical enough to contend? We've seen how the Florida Panthers won their past two Stanley Cups, and their physicality was a big part of it. Paul Maurice’s now-famous “pound their D” rant shows just how vital that element is in a long playoff run. If Ottawa wants to get out of the Atlantic, they'll have to go through Florida. Ottawa's D doesn't necessarily have to dish it out, but can they take it?
2. Can Giroux and Perron hold off Father Time? Giroux has been an ironman here. What he needs now is to halt his production decline. Staying at his current level would be just fine. Perron, meanwhile, battled both statistical and physical setbacks last season. For the Senators to maximize their offence, they'd love to see these two add up to the 100+ points they got, combined, in 2023-24.
3. Will Zetterlund start scoring again? Zetterlund just landed a big new contract, and many see him as Giroux’s long-term replacement in the top six. But he needs to produce. Zero points in six playoff games and five points in 20 regular-season contests didn’t exactly turn heads. Still, he has a track record of adapting. He had a slow start after being traded to San Jose in 2023 (3 points in 22 games), but he followed up with 24 goals and 44 points the next season.
4. Will Dylan Cozens produce like a second-line centre? Cozens hit the ground running after his March deadline acquisition, putting up 16 points in 21 games. That's a tidy 62-point pace over a full season. That’s closer to the player he was three years ago when he scored 31 goals and 68 points for Buffalo. But the Sabres clearly weren’t convinced, willing to move him for the oft-injured Josh Norris. The Senators hope that with the losing culture of Buffalo now behind him, his offensive swagger will return... consistently.
5. Can Travis Green take this team to the next level? Sometimes, the best thing a new coach brings is that he isn’t the old one. Ottawa needed a new voice, and Green delivered, posting a .591 points percentage and ending the club’s eight-year playoff drought. That earns him an A for year one. But is he the playoff tactician who can lead a deep run? We’ll have to wait and see.
6. Is the opening night roster already set? Looking at the depth chart, there aren’t many jobs up for grabs. One possible battle could be between Jordan Spence and Nikolas Matinpalo. Matinpalo outduelled Jacob Bernard-Docker and Travis Hamonic for the No. 6 job, but Spence presents a tougher challenge. Matinpalo’s entry into the lineup may depend on other variables, which brings us to the next question...
7. What happens with Nick Jensen? Physically and contractually, there are question marks. Jensen had hip surgery in May and is entering the final year of his deal. The addition of Spence, combined with Matinpalo’s new two-year gig, suggests the Sens may be preparing for life after Jensen. But if he returns healthy and effective, and wants to be here, then one more deal would make sense, even at 35.
8. Can Thomas Chabot maintain his form without Jensen? Chabot just had one of his best seasons with 45 points and a career-best +17 rating, the first time he’s ever finished in the plus column. So, yes. His pairing with Jensen worked well. Could Spence or Matinpalo help replicate that chemistry? A Chabot reunion with Artem Zub might be Ottawa’s safest fallback if Jensen isn’t ready.
9. Is the goalie graveyard moniker finally gone? Ullmark turns 32 on Thursday, and his new $8.25 million AAV contract kicks in this fall. Meriläinen, who turns 23 this season, is one of the youngest goalies in the league, so expecting him to be in anything more than a backup role would be ambitious. The Sens don’t need Ullmark to repeat his crazy Vezina-winning form from two years ago (1.89 GAA, .938 SV%), but they do need a little more than last season. At his salary, top-10 numbers should be the expectation.
10. Will pending RFA Shane Pinto get impatient, waiting for a bigger role? With Stützle and Cozens locked in as the top two centers long-term, Pinto may be boxed into a third-line role for the foreseeable future. But at 24, and coming off another 20-goal season, he’s likely eager for more. That said, Green loves him in that shutdown center penalty-kill role, and the affable Pinto probably won’t rock the boat.
He’ll still get to play with an emerging Ridly Greig and either Giroux or Zetterlund, giving Ottawa’s third line more offensive punch than most. But with Pinto about to sign another contract sometime in the next year, it's not lost on him that – this just in – forwards get paid for their offence. He'll be hoping for more power play looks.
So there you have it. 10 burning questions with no set answers. And that’s part of the fun of being a fan of the NHL – the best reality show going. To find out how it all plays out, you’ll just have to stay tuned.
By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa
Image Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
This article orginally appeared at The Hockey News Ottawa, where you'll find all the latest Senators news:
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