The Hockey News Ottawa is looking back on some of the biggest Senators news of the 2025 calendar year. In part two of our walk down memory lane, we're looking at the big news and events from April to June, and there was nothing bigger than the Senators getting back to the postseason for the first time since 2017. APRIL The Drought Finally Ends The Senators clinched a playoff spot for the first time in eight years, closing out the 2024-25 season with a record of 45-37 for 97 points, earning the first wild card and finishing just one point behind the Florida Panthers, the eventual Stanley Cup champions. In their year in review on Sens Nation, Steve Warne and Gregg Kennedy discuss December's sudden goaltending curveball in Ottawa. The Senators drew the Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 1, and unfortunately, they quickly fell behind in the series 3-0, though Games 2 and 3 could have gone either way, with both going to overtime. To their credit, the Senators didn’t roll over. After winning Game 4 in Ottawa, 4–3 in overtime, Brady Tkachuk left the ice yelling to the crowd, “We’re coming back here.” The Senators made good on that vow by heading to Toronto for Game 5 and shutting out the Leafs 4–0. However, back in Ottawa for Game 6 (and we’re cheating a little here since it happened on May 1), while the Senators tied the game with two minutes to go on a goal by David Perron, they couldn’t hold on. Max Pacioretty scored with just over five minutes left to eliminate the Senators in six games. Except for Game 1, all five games that followed could have gone either way. The hope at the time was that the sting of that loss would serve the Senators well in the coming season. Award Nominees As the Stanley Cup Playoffs marched on without Ottawa, Perron was named the Senators’ Masterton Trophy nominee. The trophy goes to the player who best exhibits perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication. Perron dealt with injuries last season, but more importantly, he had to step away from the team to be with his family as they successfully helped their newborn daughter through her health challenges. Meanwhile, Brady Tkachuk was Ottawa’s nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for the third straight year. The award is given annually to the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a significant humanitarian contribution to their community. The trophy is named after King Clancy, a beloved Senators captain from the 1920s, known for his scoring ability, leadership, and toughness. One hundred years later, that description fits Tkachuk to a tee. Ray Shero Passes On a sad note, in April 2025, longtime NHL executive Ray Shero passed away at the age of 62. The well-liked Shero was Pittsburgh’s general manager when they won the Stanley Cup in 2009 and served as an assistant GM with the Senators from 1993 to 1998. MAY Exit, Stage Left As the Senators held their player exit meetings, disappointed to be halted in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they all went their separate ways. It turned out to be the end for free agents like Adam Gaudette (signed in San Jose), Anton Forsberg (signed in LA), Travis Hamonic (Detroit), Dennis Gilbert (Philadelphia), and Angus Crookshank (New Jersey). General manager Steve Staios quickly began a busy offseason by signing Nikolas Matinpalo to a two-year contract. Worlds Matinpalo was one of several Senators who headed off to the World Hockey Championship. Tim Stützle arrived a little late and played for Team Germany, later admitting he probably should have shut it down for the year after the Senators’ season ended. Shane Pinto suited up for the United States and helped the Americans win gold. Jacques Talk Jacques Martin was named to the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame. The former Senators head coach is the winningest coach in team history and returned for a second stint a couple of years ago when DJ Smith was fired. Martin guided the Senators through the remainder of that season before being replaced by Travis Green. Management Changes Without getting into specifics as to why, the Senators mutually parted ways with the well-regarded Ryan Bowness, who served as both Belleville’s GM and Ottawa’s associate general manager. Bowness was kept on after Pierre Dorion was fired, but the Sens opted to replace him with former Hamilton Bulldogs GM Matt Turek. Sam Gagner was also named director of player development. Turek replaced JUNE The Remote NHL Draft The Senators made six selections at the 2025 NHL Draft. They entered the draft with the 21st overall pick but traded it to the Nashville Predators for the 23rd and 67th overall picks. With the 23rd selection, they chose defenceman Logan Hensler from the University of Wisconsin. NHL teams were invited to bring in guests or celebrities to make draft announcements from their home cities, and the Senators opted for comedian Tom Green, who announced the Hensler selection. The Senators then traded the 67th overall pick along with a sixth-round pick in 2026 to the Los Angeles Kings for defenceman Jordan Spence. Rounds three through seven saw the Senators select Blake Vanek, son of former NHLer Thomas Vanek; Goalie Lucas Beckman, who was traded in December from dead-last Baie-Comeau to first-place Chicoutimi; diminutive Russian forward Dmitri Aitsev; Croatian-born forward Bruno Idzan; and Russian goaltender Andrei Trofimov. Re-Signings The Senators re-signed restricted free agent Tyler Kleven to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.6 million. Toward the end of the month, Claude Giroux signed a one-year extension with a base salary of $2 million, plus bonuses that could bring the total to $4.7 million. Through the first half of the 2025-26 season, he's more than earned his keep. The Senators also re-signed Levi Marilainen to a one-year contract worth $1 million. He will be a free agent again this summer and is arbitration-eligible. Olympic Senators Finally, thoughts began turning to the Olympics when various national hockey federations announced the first six players on their preliminary rosters. Those lists included Ottawa Senators Brady Tkachuk (Team USA), Tim Stützle (Team Germany), and Lars Eller (Team Denmark). Full rosters are expected to be out on New Year's Eve. Steve Warne The Hockey News - Ottawa Ottawa Senators Year In Review Part Three, July-September: Free Agency, A Big Change For Sens Radio [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/800b28a2-2495-4a6a-94f2-a8437f6afa9e.jpeg] Ottawa Senators Year In Review Part Three, July-September: Free Agency, A Big Change For Sens Radio The Sens make a quiet ripple in free agency, the World Junior trial ends, and the Sens radio play by play team starts calling road games at home off TV. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/latest-news/ottawa-senators-year-in-review-part-three-july-september-free-agency-a-big-change-for-sens-radio] Senators Year In Review Part One: January To March [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/latest-news/ottawa-senators-year-in-review-part-one-january-to-march] Senators Year In Review Part Four, Oct-Dec: Tkachuk Has Surgery, Ullmark Takes Leave Of Absence [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/latest-news/ottawa-senators-year-in-review-part-four-october-december-tkachuk-has-surgery-ullmark-takes-leave-of-absence]
