The Ottawa Senators will be hitting the ice on Saturday afternoon against the New York Islanders in what is a must-win for both sides.
The Sens hold the second wild card spot by a relatively wide three-point margin. However, an Islanders’ regulation win would close the gap to just one point. Needless to say, that would be too close for comfort.
Yes, the odds are on the Senators’ side. The Sens can officially clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Islanders (in any way) and a loss by the Detroit Red Wings (in any way). The Red Wings will play the New Jersey Devils.
The Red Wings have been struggling, going just 3-6-1 in their last 10. The odds are not on the Red Wings’ side. So, hopefully, the Sens can get some help from the Devils.
Regardless of what the Red Wings do, the mission is clear for the Senators. They have to win their matchup against the Islanders. A loss, especially a regulation defeat, would tighten the playoff race.
A regulation loss on Saturday would pull the Islanders to within a point. Similarly, a Red Wings’ victory would bring them one point away from the Senators.
That’s why the path forward is simple. All Ottawa has to do is win. Ultimately, that's the only thing that’s in the Senators’ control. The Sens can’t do anything about the Red Wings-Devils game. But they can certainly control the outcome of their showdown against the Islanders on Saturday afternoon.
Senators on track to face Hurricanes in First Round
The Senators are on track to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the 2026 NHL playoffs. As the second wild card, the Sens would face the Eastern Conference’s top seed. That’s the Hurricanes at the moment.
Nevertheless, the top seed could change. The Canes have 108 points, while the Buffalo Sabres have 106. The Sabres have two games left on their schedule while the Hurricanes have three. It doesn’t seem likely that the Sabres can wrestle the top seed away from the Hurricanes.
But there is another potential change. The Senators could end up leapfrogging the Boston Bruins into the first wild card spot. The Bruins are on a four-game skid and face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon.
If the Bruins drop their game against the Lightning and the Sens win, the Senators would move into the first wild card spot, as Ottawa holds the tiebreaker. The Sens have 36 regulation wins to the Bruins’ 31.
Whatever happens, it will be an interesting final weekend of the regular season for Senators fans.