The Ottawa Senators enter training camp with a top-six forward group that looks a bit different than past years. Obviously, their former captain, Brady Tkachuk asked out and the Senators shipped him to the Florida Panthers so he could be with his brother, Matthew. Which means their top six is largely built around the arrival of newly acquired William Eklund, who is thought to be the Tkachuk replacement within the lineup.
However, Down the lineup, head coach Travis Green faces a genuine decision at fourth-line center. Green demands a hard-nosed, relentless bottom half that can tilt the ice physically without sacrificing structural responsibility, turning the battle between Stephen Halliday and Nick Cousins into the focal point of camp.
Senators’ biggest training camp battle
The competition presents a sharp contrast in styles. Halliday turned heads late last season, using his imposing 6-foot-4 frame to protect the puck down low while showing off elite passing instincts that give the bottom unit real offensive upside. Fresh off a new two-year extension, Halliday represents Ottawa’s internal development. He’s a young center capable of changing the entire outlook of the fourth line.
As for Cousins, he brings a completely different set of skills to the lineup. Ottawa locked up the veteran on a two-year extension of his own due to his faceoff reliability and ability to get under the opponent's skin that Green values in late-game situations. Coming off a strong 23-point campaign where he set a personal high with 92 penalty minutes, Cousins offers the proven, low-event friction needed against an opponent’s top line.
Halliday raises the unit's skill ceiling and transition game, but Cousins provides a battle-tested safety net. With both players under contract and eager to lock down a permanent role, every preseason shift will carry real weight as the coaching staff shapes its opening night baseline. It’s a training camp battle that will likely be decided in the final days of camp. Which will make it even more interesting and fun to watch.
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