Ottawa Senators home opener is today: Here’s what you need to know

Centre Canadian Tire

The Ottawa Senators return to the ice at the Canadian Tire Centre today for the first time since the spring.

The Senators host the Nashville Predators in their home opener at 1 p.m. You can catch the game on TSN 5 and TSN 1200.

The Senators opened the season with two games on the road: a 5-4 win in Tampa Bay last Thursday and a 6-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Saturday.

Here is what you need to know about the Ottawa Senators this season.

Home opener

The Ottawa Senators will be hosting pre-game festivities from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

There will be a performance by Ottawa Valley country band Rainwater Whiskey.

Other events include inflatables, face painting, photo stations, custom hockey cards courtesy of Canadian Tire, sign making and more. TSN 1200 will be broadcasting live before the game and Ottawa’s Pure Country 94 will have activations.

Fans are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to the game in support of the Ottawa Food Bank.

Tickets

There were still a few tickets available for the Senators-Predators game, as of Sunday afternoon.

For tickets, visit www.ticketmaster.ca.

Key players this season

Brady Tkachuk – The captain is the heart and soul of the Ottawa Senators. Tkachuk led the Senators with 29 goals last season.

Tim Stutzle – After leading the Senators in assists and points last season, all eyes will be on the young centre to lead the top line again this season.

Shane Pinto – In the final year of a two-year contract, Pinto is off to a hot start with four goals and an assist in two games.

Jake Sanderson – The 23-year-old led the team in ice time during the 2024-25 season and is leading the club in time on the ice this season. Sanderson added two assists to start the season.

Linus Ullmark – The Senators will need Ullmark at his best to reach the playoffs and achieve the team’s goals for the season. Ullmark is 1 and 1 with a 5.01 goals against average in the first two games of the season.

New faces

There are a couple of new faces on the Senators this season.

Lars Eller – The veteran forward signed with the Senators in July after spending last season with the Washington Capitals. Eller was pointless in the Senators first two games of the season.

Jordan Spence – The Senators acquired the defenceman from the Los Angeles Kings in June in exchange for a third-round pick in 2025 and a sixth-round selection in 2026. Spence did not play in the Senators first two games of the season.

Kurtis MacDermid - The Senators acquired the winger from the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 3 in exchange for Zack MacEwen. MacDermid was pointless in the first two games of the season.

Key games for the Senators this season

A look at some key games for the Senators and fans following the home opener.

• Oct. 21: Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers make their only visit to Canadian Tire Centre.
• Oct. 30: The Calgary Flames visit Ottawa
• Dec. 27: The Senators face the Toronto Maple Leafs for the first time this season in Toronto.
• Jan 1: The Senators ring in 2026 with a game against the Washington Capitals at the Canadian Tire Centre.
• Jan. 3: The Winnipeg Jets visit Ottawa for the only time this season
• Jan. 10: The defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers visit Ottawa
• Jan. 13: The Vancouver Canucks visit Ottawa
• Jan. 17: The Montreal Canadiens make their first visit to the Canadian Tire Centre
• Feb. 6-25: The Senators and the NHL pause for the Olympic break
• March 21: The Toronto Maple Leafs make their first visit to Ottawa
• April 15: The Senators wrap up the regular season against the Maple Leafs at Canadian Tire Centre

The Senators will play six of their final eight games at Canadian Tire Centre.