Instead of forcing Ottawa to completely forfeit a first-round draft pick, the league will strip the Sens of their natural first-round slot in the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft, but will grant them the 32nd overall pick (the final pick of the first round). The team was also fined $1 million CAD. General manager Steve Staios expressed deep gratitude to the league and ownership for fighting to get a first-round pick back.<\/p>\n
The Sens Are Going to Germany<\/p>\n
The NHL announced that the Senators will play two regular-season games against the Chicago Blackhawks in D\u00fcsseldorf, Germany<\/a>, on Dec. 18 and 20, 2026. This is a massive storyline for the franchise and especially for German-born Sens star Tim St\u00fctzle, as D\u00fcsseldorf is just a short distance from his hometown.<\/p>\n The Blue Line is Banged Up<\/p>\n Ottawa\u2019s defensive depth is being severely tested. Star defenceman Jake Sanderson is out week-to-week with a shoulder injury after taking a hit from the Seattle Kraken\u2019s Brandon Montour. Additionally, Nick Jensen is sidelined with a lower-body injury<\/a>. To patch the holes, Ottawa called up Dennis Gilbert and Lassi Thomson, and swung a couple of minor-league trades at the American Hockey League (AHL) deadline to acquire defencemen Ryan O\u2019Rourke and Samuel Bolduc.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Tyler Kleven was also recently fined<\/a> the NHL maximum of $4,166.67 for cross-checking Seattle\u2019s Jared McCann.<\/p>\n Hanging on to Playoff Hopes<\/p>\n Looking at the current standings, the Sens face an uphill battle. They are sitting roughly five points out of a playoff spot with 18 games remaining. Despite a rough season statistically for goaltender Linus Ullmark, he is coming off a massive 23-save shutout <\/a>against the Anaheim Ducks on March 14. Staios remains vocally confident that the current roster can make a push, noting the team has gone 9-2-2 in a recent 13-game stretch.<\/p>\n Senators Upcoming Schedule<\/p>\n This is a make-or-break week for Ottawa\u2019s postseason aspirations. While they open the week with a very winnable home matchup against the rebuilding San Jose Sharks, the rest of the week features a gauntlet of Eastern Conference rivals. The games against the Washington Capitals, NY Islanders, and Toronto Maple Leafs are quintessential \u201cfour-point games.\u201d If the Sens want to close that five-point gap and secure a wild card spot, they need to extract the majority of the points available this week, all while navigating a depleted defensive corps.<\/p>\n DateOpponentLocationTime (EDT)Sunday, March 15San Jose SharksCanadian Tire Centre (Home)5:00 PMWednesday, March 18Washington CapitalsCapital One Arena (Away)7:30 PMThursday, March 19New York IslandersCanadian Tire Centre (Home)7:00 PMSaturday, March 21Toronto Maple LeafsCanadian Tire Centre (Home)7:00 PM<\/p>\n AI tools were used to support the creation or distribution of this content, however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of The Hockey Writers editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our Editorial Standards<\/a> page.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a>![\"SUBSCRIBE](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Senators_Banner-1200x122.jpg\")
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