The 2024-25 season was one where the Ottawa Senators hit a turning point in the franchise with making the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017. After the Toronto Maple Leafs eliminated the Senators in six games in the first round, the Senators have been waiting for the 2025-26 season to arrive led by captain Brady Tkachuk.
September is here, which means preseason hockey will be the start to the 2025-26 season. The Senators' first preseason game will be played against the Maple Leafs at Canadian Tire Centre on Sept. 21 at 3 p.m. ET.
When a new season draws closer, predictions will be made for all 32 teams. The Senators making the playoffs in 2025 can have higher expectations for 2025-26. However, a realistic ceiling is always there as well, but the ceiling for the Senators is possible to achieve.
Second in division is a realistic ceiling, but possible for Senators
The Senators finished as the first Wild Card seed last season with 97 points in the Eastern Conference. This season, finishing top three in the Atlantic Division can be a possibility, but finishing as the division's second seed is a realistic ceiling. However, it's possible for the Senators after free agency and the teams in the division.
Last season, the Maple Leafs won the division with 107 points. However, the Maple Leafs saw Mitch Marner join the Vegas Golden Knights. Marner produced a 102-point season last season. Even with talented players like Auston Matthews and John Tavares, losing a 102-point player can be a blow to the lineup for the Maple Leafs.
The Tampa Bay Lightning finished second in the division with 102 points last season. The Lightning have a majority of their roster returning for this upcoming season to make another push for a chase for a division title.
While the Florida Panthers won their second consecutive Stanley Cup while finishing third in the division in 2025, and re-signed Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett this off-season, there is a blow to the team's lineup that the Senators and the rest of the teams in the division will need to take advantage of.
Matthew Tkachuk had surgery to a torn adductor and also dealt with a sports hernia, and will be out of the lineup until at least January. With Matthew out of action to begin the season, the Panthers could struggle, and that's where teams will be eager to jump the Panthers in the standings. If the Panthers struggle until Matthew comes back, it could be a hole deep to get out of.
The Montreal Canadiens did make the 2025 playoffs as the last Wild Card seed in the Eastern Conference with 91 points. However, Ottawa's higher point total last season could have higher expectations than Montreal for 2025-26.
The Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres missed the playoffs in 2025. While Detroit did add goaltender John Gibson in the off-season, both Boston and Buffalo could be in the bottom of the division again.
There's no doubt that the Senators will have higher expectations this season after making the 2025 playoffs. Given what happened this past free agency, Matthew needing surgery and the rest of the division's st, the Senators have a chance to finish second in the Atlantic Division as the team's ceiling for the 2025-26 season.
The Senators' season opener is just over one month away against the Lightning on the road on Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. ET to begin the team's journey back to the playoffs in 2026. A new season has new expectations, and the Senators will be eager to finish better than last season.