It was one of those nights when everything that could go wrong did. The Ottawa Senators walked into Buffalo and got thumped 8-4 by a Sabres team desperate for its first win of the season. Buffalo scored every way possible — power play, even strength, and short-handed — leaving Ottawa chasing the puck and the scoreboard all night long.
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Shane Pinto picked up his fifth of the season, while Tim Stützle, Jake Sanderson, and Lars Eller added singles. But without Brady Tkachuk, the Senators looked flat and disorganized. Goalie Leevi Merilainen had little chance, facing wave after wave of odd-man rushes and loose rebounds. For a team that wants to take the next step, this was a humbling reminder of how thin the line is between competing and collapsing.
Item One: Senators Life Without Tkachuk Begins — and It Shows
You don’t replace Brady Tkachuk’s heart or his presence. His absence was glaring from the opening faceoff. Ottawa still has plenty of skill, but when the game got messy — as it always seems to do in Buffalo — there was no one to drag the team into the fight.
Ottawa Senators Brady Tkachuk (Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images)
Owner Michael Andlauer confirmed the captain’s hand injury could require surgery, which means the Senators could be without him for more than a month. That’s a long stretch to play without their emotional leader. Drake Batherson’s return added some spark, but the energy and drive Tkachuk brings are unique. Now the leadership load shifts to players like Stützle and Claude Giroux. Both are capable of carrying the offence. However, can they tighten the team’s lugnuts when the wheels start to wobble?
Item Two: Defensive Breakdown: Same Old Problem?
Eighteen goals against in four games isn’t just bad luck — it’s bad structure. The Senators’ defensive zone coverage fell apart in Buffalo. Too many missed assignments, too many easy entries, and far too much space in front of their own net. Buffalo’s power play struck twice in under two minutes, and the Sabres’ Ryan McLeod even scored shorthanded.
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Travis Green has already started juggling his pairings, trying to find a mix that works. But with Jacob Bernard-Docker still learning and Jake Sanderson being leaned on heavily, the group looks stretched. It’s early, but Ottawa’s defensive habits still resemble last season’s. The team seems reactive, not assertive. If they don’t tighten up soon, they’ll be playing from behind more often than not.
Item Three: Sebrango Claimed by Panthers Off Waivers
Ottawa’s hometown defenceman, Donovan Sebrango, won’t be part of that blue-line shuffle anymore. After being placed on waivers on Tuesday, he was claimed by the Florida Panthers. The 23-year-old appeared in two of the Senators’ first three games this season, including Saturday’s loss — ironically, against his new team.
Donovan Sebrango was with the Ottawa Senators. (Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images)
It’s a disappointing turn for a player who’d worked hard to earn another shot. Sebrango re-signed last month on a one-year, two-way deal and came into camp in good shape, ready to build on a strong American Hockey League (AHL) season in Belleville. He’s a steady skater and a good teammate, but he couldn’t carve out a regular spot. A former Detroit third-rounder, Sebrango arrived in Ottawa in the 2023 Alex DeBrincat trade. Now he heads to Florida — a team known for developing young defenders — looking for that next foothold in the league.
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For the Senators, it’s not a massive roster loss, but it’s a depth hit. These are the kinds of moves that sting a little, especially when it’s a local youngster who bought into the program.
What’s Next for the Senators?
Ottawa returns home to face Seattle tonight, trying to stop a three-game skid and restore some belief. The pressure is building early. Without their captain, the Senators will have to rely on their structure, not emotion, to get through this stretch.
The pieces are there — the talent, the speed, the scoring. What’s missing is cohesion. If the Senators can start defending as a five-man unit and find some rhythm, they’ll stabilize. But if the same defensive leaks continue, this early-season slide could stretch longer than anyone in Ottawa wants to admit.
