With the team trading Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers last week, that's likely left thousands and thousands of Ottawa Senators fans with a now useless jersey in their closet. The team has attempted a PR stunt to try and smooth that over.
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It wasn't the most enjoyable Canada Day for Ottawa Senators fans. As free agent frenzy opened up, the Sens' division rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs, solidified themselves as playoff contenders going into the 2026-27 season, while the Sens stood pat.
The Ottawa Senators have approximately $16.2 million left to spend before next season begins and that means they'll have to make a few tough decisions on some veterans, including Lars Eller.
One insider believes that Brady Tkachuk's future with the Ottawa Senators is a little bit cloudy and there could be plenty of speculation on whether he will still be the captain when the team comes together for training camp.
The Ottawa Senators almost weren't even invited to the dance, so picking 32nd in the 2026 NHL entry draft should be seen as a blessing. The worst news of the night, though, involved where their division rivals wound up.
The Ottawa Senators have now bowed out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs Now they'll have to spend the offseason searching for that minor tweak that will allow them to be better in that one specific area next season.
It would be a real shame if the Ottawa Senators can't get back into the series against the Carolina Hurricanes considering just how good of a performance they are getting out of their goaltender Linus Ulmark.
The Ottawa Senators aren't done playing hockey yet in 2025-26 but they are, in a way, already looking ahead to their future as they have signed 18-year-old Lucas Beckman to an entry level deal.
Unlike a lot of matchups where the top seed is miles ahead of their first round opponent, the Ottawa Senators and the Carolina Hurricanes match up fairly well against each other which means either team can realistically come out on top in this series.