Episode Notes Moments (17) Description
00:00:00 The Senators qualify for the playoffs as the second Wild Card before being swept by Carolina in the opening round. Neil and Vic revisit the biggest question entering the season: whether Ottawa could generate enough offense after failing to produce a 30-goal scorer the previous year Jump 00:00:35 Tim Stützle and Drake Batherson both surpass 30 goals, while Dylan Cozens finishes with 28. Ottawa scores 278 goals as a team, an improvement of 35, and raises its goal differential from plus-nine to plus-32 Jump 00:01:00 Neil discusses the continued development of Ottawa’s young core. Stützle, Batherson, and several other key players are entering the prime years of their careers, giving the Senators hope that their best talent can mature together Jump 00:01:20 Special teams remain a major concern. The penalty kill drops from 19th to 29th overall and ranks 31st on the road, creating a weakness that becomes increasingly difficult to overcome against stronger opponents Jump 00:01:45 Ottawa’s goaltending produces an unusual statistical profile. The Senators rank near the middle of the league in goals-against average but near the bottom in save percentage, suggesting the club limits shots but struggles to stop enough of the dangerous chances that get through Jump 00:02:00 Linus Ullmark misses time on personal leave, Levi Merzlikins fails to match his previous performance, and James Reimer is added later in the season to stabilize the backup position Jump 00:02:20 Injuries create even greater problems on defense. Brady Tkachuk suffers a thumb injury early in the season, while Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, Nick Jensen, Tyler Kleven, and other defensemen miss significant time Jump 00:03:00 Neil explains how the repeated absences of Sanderson, Chabot, Jensen, and Kleven damaged Ottawa’s defensive structure. With several regulars unavailable at the same time, the Senators struggled to protect their goaltenders and maintain consistency Jump 00:03:30 Despite improved scoring, Ottawa cannot break through against Carolina. The Senators compete hard but lack the depth and execution necessary to challenge one of the NHL’s elite teams Jump 00:04:00 The discussion shifts to the offseason. Ottawa enters the 2026 NHL Draft with seven picks, including three selections in the third round, but has no second-round or seventh-round pick Jump 00:04:45 The Senators project to have approximately $2.34 million in cap space before the July 1 reset. Their unrestricted free agents include Claude Giroux, Lars Eller, Nick Cousins, Nick Jensen, Dennis Gilbert, Lassi Thomson, and James Reimer Jump 00:05:15 Restricted free agents Stephen Halliday, Jordan Spence, and Levi Merzlikins also require new contracts. Neil expects General Manager Steve Staios to prioritize Spence and address the defense and goaltending before making decisions on veteran forwards Jump 00:05:45 Claude Giroux’s future becomes another major storyline. The veteran has taken a hometown discount to remain in Ottawa, and Neil believes Giroux may prefer to finish his career with the Senators, although management must determine whether he still fits the club’s direction Jump 00:06:30 Attention then turns to Brady Tkachuk, who has two years remaining on his contract at $8.2 million annually. Trade speculation continues despite Tkachuk publicly denying that he wants to leave Ottawa Jump 00:07:00 Neil explains why the rumors will not disappear until Tkachuk signs another contract. As the captain approaches the final year of his deal, Ottawa must continue evaluating the market and understand what other teams might offer for its most valuable player Jump 00:08:00 Tkachuk’s value extends far beyond his production. He is the face of the franchise, an emotional leader, and one of the NHL’s most intimidating and competitive captains Jump 00:09:00 The episode concludes with Neil emphasizing that Steve Staios cannot remove any possibility from consideration. Ottawa has a strong young foundation, but improving the penalty kill, stabilizing the goaltending, resolving the defensive depth, and securing Tkachuk’s future will determine whether the Senators can take another step next season Jump
