Senators open preseason Monday in Trois-Rivières, roster deadline Sept. 28
Coach Travis Green says the forward group is deep, making lineup decisions difficult ahead of the regular season opener against Toronto on Oct. 3.
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Update — October 11, 2026: The Ottawa Senators improved to 4-1 with a 3-2 comeback victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night, marking their best start to a season since 2014-15. Tim Stützle leads the team with 4 goals and 8 points through five games, while goalie Linus Ullmark has won his last eight regular-season starts with a 1.34 goals-against average and .942 save percentage. Defenceman Jake Sanderson remains out indefinitely since October 3, Artem Zub is expected to return soon after resuming team skating, and Cam Crotty was placed on injured reserve Sunday.
The Ottawa Senators open their preseason run Monday night against the Montreal Canadiens in Trois-Rivières, with a regular season opener against Toronto set for October 3.
Coach Travis Green has 23 skaters and 3 goaltenders on the current roster — Linus Ullmark, Samuel Ersson, and Leevi Merilainen — and says determining where pieces fit is the priority over roster battles. "We feel like our forward group is a deep group, and it's not going to be an easy decision to determine where everybody is going to play," Green said.
The preseason spans five exhibition games before the Sept. 28 roster deadline at 5 p.m., when the final 23-man roster must be set. A split-squad game Wednesday sends some players to face Toronto at home while 20 others travel to Scotiabank Arena. Saturday features another split, with one group facing Montreal at the Canadian Tire Centre while 20 players head to the Bell Centre.
Thomas Chabot is absent from the trip — his wife Marion is due to give birth imminently. The off-season brought sweeping change to the roster. Brady Tkachuk was traded to Florida in June, and William Eklund arrived from San Jose within days of that deal. Carter Yakemchuk is aiming to earn a roster spot at fall camp.
The facts
When is the Senators' regular season opener?
The Ottawa Senators play their regular season opener against Toronto on October 3.
When does the roster deadline fall?
The roster deadline for the Ottawa Senators is September 28 at 5 p.m., when the final 23-man roster must be set.
Who are the Senators' three goaltenders?
The Ottawa Senators' goaltenders are Linus Ullmark, Samuel Ersson, and Leevi Merilainen.
Why is Thomas Chabot absent from the preseason trip?
Thomas Chabot is absent because his wife Marion is due to give birth imminently.
