The Ottawa Senators look to get back in the win column, as they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets. Welcome back to NHL Predictions, with us here at Last Word On Hockey. Check out our statistical breakdown, analysis, storylines, and predictions for not just this one, but games all season long. Can Ottawa get a win for Brady, or will Columbus prove too strong? Find out our thoughts next.

NHL Predictions Ottawa Senators at Columbus Blue Jackets

2025-26 Season Series first of three meetings. All time Ottawa holds a 23-14-2-5 record versus the only NHL franchise in the fine state of Ohio.

Start Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)

How to Watch: RDS2, TSN5, FDSNOH

Location: Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio

Ottawa comes into this one after a disappointing three-game homestand. They look for the two points against a Blue Jacket team that comes in similarly winless in three, at 0-2-1. In terms of the current NHL standings, both teams need to pick it up in the Eastern Conference Stanley Cup Playoff picture. Ottawa is seventh in the Atlantic Division and Columbus sits eighth in the Metropolitan Division standings.

Ottawa Looking to Get Back to their Winning Ways

One story for Ottawa is that defenceman Thomas Chabot has been left home on this three-game road trip that they begin to embark on. For Ottawa, it was a tough homestand. They went 0-3, that had followed a hard, seven-game road trip. Apparently, home cooking was not the recipe.

Now, as they continue to go without Chabot, it does bring up discussion on how valuable the veteran rearguard is to the club. For a number-two, left side defenceman, his numbers are pretty strong. He has 10 points in 18 games, in 21:55 of average ice time. He possesses a Corsi-for percent relative of 1.8%, with perhaps less than smooth defensive partnerships.

Looking back, Chabot had first missed the November 13th game against the Boston Bruins. He had tried to return for the November 22nd game versus the San Jose Sharks. However, if we include Shark game, since Chabot has been injured, the Sens are 5-7-0. More recently, they have lost five of six. This has even coincided with the return of captain Brady Tkachuk. He is still only up to nine games played on the season.

There’s plenty of little issues that could explain the Sens struggles. However, wouldn’t they sound more like excuses? Yes. Shane Pinto remains out, that is another key injury for the Sens right now.

What’s Up With Columbus these Days

This is an interesting contest for the Senators. If the Sens are serious about a top-six forward, the Blue Jackets have a couple of intriguing characters.

Cue the Russians, Yegor Chinakhov and Dmitri Voronkov. Both have been the subject of separate rumours, more so at the beginning of the season. Voronkov, which was passed on through third-parties, mentioned he wanted to be traded because of the lack of opportunity before the start of the 2025-26 season. Moreover, Chinakhov was actually held out of the lineup, due to the threat of being traded.

Chinakhov has a 0.79 expected goals per 60 minutes and a 0.51 assists per 60 minutes rate at 5v5. Moreover, Voronkov is more at 0.92 xG/60 and 1.54 A/60. The 0.92 xG/60, puts Voronkov in the 76% percentile area, right there with Ridly Greig, oddly enough. Interestingly enough, this is the category that Brady Tkachuk’s 1.64 xG/60 leads the entire NHL.

In addition, Vorokov’s 1.54 A/60, actually has him in the 90th percentile. So? If we took a metric, adding the two together, his rate of expected goals and actual assists, he’s in the 91st percentile. You would have to account for the level of competition, but still not bad. In addition, Voronkov plays mostly with Adam Fantilli and Kirill Marchenko. They make up a 53.2 expected goal percentage as a line. It seems he late offseason voice was heard by Blue Jackets management.

What About the Goalies

It is expected that the two goalies Linus Ullmark and Jet Greaves battle it out in this one. However, this is a good chance to add our disclaimer. Please check social media for the very latest lineup news before locking in your daily fantasy rosters. Ullmark has been inconsistent, but will have good wins and look sharp. Coming in, he’s lost three of four personally, allowing 14 goals in those contests. That’s been keeping his season save percentage below par, at .877 through a 10-8-4 record overall. Meanwhile, Jet Greaves has emerged as a very skilled and statistically positive figure. In 39 career starts, the 24 year old has a .917 save percentage. Not far off Ullmark’s .915 career save percentage. In any case, this one has the potential to be a goaltending showdown.

The Special Teams

One part of the Sens game that seems to determine game outcomes, is the special teams. Between Ottawa’s fifth ranked power play and (slowly improving 70.7%) 31st penalty kill, adding the percentages together works out to 95.4%. Meanwhile, they should be able to take advantage of Columbus here, as their combined percentages are 91.2%. So, give Ottawa the slight edge there.

NHL Predictions

We like a bounce back from Ottawa and from our discussion, it seems they win more matchups versus Columbus. They need a win, and should start to gel with Brady Tkachuk in the lineup.

Prediction: Senators 4 – Blue Jackets 2

Prop Bets

To go along with our score prediction, check out a couple anytime scorers. Drake Batherson has been hot lately, so take him. Also, Adam Fantilli has played well this year, we like him to pad the goal column.

Main Photo Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images

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