In the 2024-25 season, the Ottawa Senators proved doubters wrong by making the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Despite being eliminated in the first round of the 2025 playoffs by the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Senators are on the rise.
For the upcoming 2025-26 season, the Senators will be led by their captain Brady Tkachuk. The Senators have their dominate one-two punch from the 2020 draft Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson, and goaltender Linus Ullmark as well.
On July 16, the Senators' 2025-26 regular season schedule was released. Dates and crucial games have already been circled for the Senators. However, the Senators can once again have help on their schedule like last season at an important time.
Senators have a good amount of home games in April
April is an important month in hockey to play their best and lock down a playoff position. That happened for the Senators in 2025 when they clinched a playoff spot on April 8, and it can happen again in 2026 with the Senators' schedule.
In April, the Senators have eight games on the schedule. Of the eight games, six of them are at home at Canadian Tire Centre. If the Senators are chasing a playoff spot again in 2026 like they did in 2025, having six of the final eight games of the season at home can be helpful.
Senators April schedule:
April 2 vs Buffalo Sabres
April 4 vs Minnesota Wild
April 5 vs Carolina Hurricanes
April 7 vs Tampa Bay Lightning
April 9 vs Florida Panthers
April 11 @ New York Islanders
April 12 @ New Jersey Devils
April 15 vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Of the eight teams on the schedule, six of the teams made the 2025 playoffs. A tough final eight games, but the Senators did have success against seven of the teams.
While the Senators were swept in their four-game season series last season against the Sabres, the Senators fared well against the other teams. The Senators swept their regular season series against both the Wild and Maple Leafs. The Senators also won two of their three meetings against the Hurricanes.
Despite losing to the two teams from Florida in every road game, the Senators won both their home games against the Lightning and Panthers. Also, despite losing at home to the Islanders twice and the Devils once, the Senators defeated the Islanders in their only road game at Long Island, and defeated the Devils on the road in both games in Newark. The Senators play the Islanders and Devils on a back-to-back for their final two road games with success from 2024-25.
Last season, the Senators set themselves up perfect by being in a playoff position when April arrived. Now, the Senators can do it again in 2026. The Senators will begin their 2025-26 season against the Lightning at Amalie Arena on Oct. 9.