The Ottawa Senators must make a decision on which direction their 2025-26 NHL season will take very soon. Will they be buyers or sellers? Will they make the ’26 Stanley Cup Playoffs? After a wild stretch for the Ottawa Senators recently, not solely because of their on-ice play, one thing is overtly obvious. Their season is on life support.

The Ottawa Senators Must Decide Now On the 2025-26 NHL Season’s End Goal

The time is now for the Senators to turn this season around. They currently sit seven points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with less than 40 games remaining. While they have bounced back somewhat with wins in their last two games, this upcoming stretch is paramount.

That is not only due to the standings, but also because it will determine general manager Steve Staios’ approach come the trade deadline in March. Ideally, they would love to be aggressive and buy, but before that, they must get themselves back in this playoff race.

The Case for Buying

The situation is a familiar one for the organization and fan base. There have been issues with injuries, wildly inconsistent goaltending, and poor defensive play. They’ve also lacked a consistent identity conducive to long-term success. At times, they’ve been able to overwhelm opponents with speed and skill, and at other times have looked quite feeble.

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If they can put it all together in the next 10 games or so, buying may be an option. However, it wouldn’t be an all-in approach. It would most likely be an addition to address a specific need.

Kiefer Sherwood of the Vancouver Canucks would fit that mould. Furthermore, he is a speedy, versatile winger who can impact various facets of the game. He would add depth, can kill penalties and inject energy whenever games get a little sleepy. He is also a pending unrestricted free agent, so he would not cost a lot quality-and-quantity wise in terms of assets, which would be appealing for the Senators.

Other than him, Staios could also look into acquiring more depth on the blueline or a complementary middle-six forward to play alongside the core already in place.

The Case for Selling

If the struggles continue and the Senators are in not in a position to make the playoffs, they certainly cannot do nothing. Although it would be a massive disappointment given expectations at the beginning of the year, it is prudent from an asset management standpoint to sell off pieces who aren’t going to be long-term fits.

Continuing to stockpile picks and young depth would give Staios more flexibility in the summer, especially with the salary cap rising, to swing a big-time trade or acquire a free agent capable of moving the needle closer to being a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

It would not signal a significant step back or going back down a rebuilding path but rather an adjustment of the timeline for the year for the betterment of the long-term future of the franchise.

First Big Decision for Staios

The pressure is on for Staios to pick a direction. This window is truly one of his first real pressure points as general manager. It was a year of great hope and optimism coming off the franchise’s first playoff appearance in eight years, but things have not gone according to plan. 

Coming up soon, he must make the decision to be a soft buyer or bite the bullet and sell off assets in the hopes it will benefit the organization moving forward. The next 10 games or so will go a long way in determining what that decision will be. If the Senators can string together some wins here, that would open the door to additions being made to help a playoff push. Lose, and the focus moves towards next season and beyond.

Main Photo Credit: Jerome Miron – Imagn Images

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