Like the Montreal Canadiens, the Ottawa Senators aren't fooling anyone this time around. While the Detroit Red Wings were busy tailing off as the 2024-25 NHL season reached its third act, the Senators barreled their way toward an ultimate playoff berth, ending one of the league's longest postseason droughts.
Maybe that'll be the case again this season and if it is, the Sens ain't catching anyone off guard in 2025-26. Why is that? Well, just look at their lineup, and you'll see a dynamic top six, plus a not-so-flashy yet capable blue line.
And we can't froget about Linus Ullmark and all he can still do in the net. Should everything come together like it did last season, teams like the Red Wings aren't gonna like facing the Senators too much.
Forwards
Left Wing | Center | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
Brady Tkachuk | Tim Stutzle | Fabian Zetterlund |
David Perron | Dylan Cozens | Drake Batherson |
Ridly Greig | Shane Pinto | Claude Giroux |
Nick Cousins | Lars Eller | Michael Amadio |
Arthur Kaliyev |
The Brady Tkachuk-Tim Stutzle connection is one of the league's better and underrated duos out there. Last season, Stutzle was the playmaker and Tkachuk was a goal-scoring machine when healthy. Fabian Zetterlund's another piece to this puzzle who's gonna enjoy a breakout year now that he's finally with a halfway decent team.
On the second line from Daily Faceoff's projections, David Perron is the seasoned veteran alongside the upstart Dylan Cozens and Drake Batherson. Cozens and Batherson can be great, and if they take another step, expect Ottawa to boast one of the league's most complete top-six units.
Ridly Greig, Shane Pinto, and Claude Giroux round out a solid top nine, and all three of them can put up points. Finally, Nick Cousins, Lars Eller, and Mike Amadio bring experience and high energy to the group.
Overall, if that third line can even moderately contribute, the Senators got a top nine few teams would want to sleep on. As for the Wings, it means they're facing one of the NHL's deepest yet underrated forward groups. They need to take it to the Sens and remember that this is a playoff-bound unit.
Defense/Goaltenders
Left Defense | Right Defense |
|---|---|
Jake Sanderson | Artem Zub |
Thomas Chabot | Nick Jensen |
Tyler Kleven | Jordan Spence |
Donovan Sebrango | Nikolas Matinpalo |
G: Linus Ullmark | G: Leevi Merilainen |
The Sens got a true playmaker in Jake Sanderson, and Artem Zub's the stay-at-home blueliner who knows how to get in front of every other shot that comes his way.
The second pairing's shaping up to be no different. Thomas Chabot can find open forwards all game long, and Nick Jensen, like Zub, is incredible at invading lanes and putting his body on the line.
Finally, Tyler Kleven and Jordan Spence will give the Sens gritty minutes on the third pairing. There's nothing flashy about their play; they'll just bring a defense-first mentality to the ice, do their job, and make things rough for opponents.
Red Wings fans are more than familiar facing Linus Ullmark, and the experienced netminder's still one of the NHL's best. Then there's Leevi Merilainen, who looks like a future star once Ullmark inevitably starts to decline - three shutouts, a 1.99 GAA, and a 0.925 save percentage is a good way to get known.
If you thought the Senators were deep at forward, it's not much different here at the blue line and goaltending duo. And I'll tell you this: If Merilainen takes another step this season, the Sens could quietly boast the best duo in hockey.