Senators Week Ahead: Schedule & Storylines – Wild Card Squeeze, Chabot Injury, Ullmark and More – The Hockey Writers – Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators are right in the thick of a late-season dogfight, and this upcoming week is going to be incredibly decisive for their playoff hopes. Here are the key storylines surrounding the team and their upcoming schedule for the week of March 29 – April 4, 2026.

The Wild Card Squeeze

The Senators are fighting for their playoff lives. After briefly clawing into a playoff spot earlier this week, a Thursday shootout loss to the Penguins and a tough 4-2 regulation loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday (March 28) pushed them back out.

Sitting at 38-25-10, they are currently just one point out of the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot, tangled up in a tight race with the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, and Montreal Canadiens.

Goaltending Second-Guessing

Following Saturday’s crucial loss in Tampa Bay, head coach Travis Green is facing fan and media scrutiny regarding his goaltending deployment. A major trending topic right now is the fanbase asking, “Why didn’t Linus Ullmark start?” in a game with such massive playoff implications.

A Battered Blue Line

The defence core has taken a massive hit at the worst possible time. It was recently announced that Thomas Chabot is out for at least the remainder of the regular season. On a more positive note, Jake Sanderson and Lassi Thomson are listed as day-to-day and could make their returns during this critical upcoming stretch.

New Muscle in the Pipeline

To bolster their organizational depth, the Senators just agreed to terms with 6-foot-7 defensive prospect Gabriel Eliasson, signing the “mean machine” to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Senators Upcoming Schedule

This week is a make-or-break gauntlet for Ottawa. They play four games in six days against highly competitive teams.

The good news is that after a quick trip to Florida, Ottawa gets to return to the Canadian Tire Centre for a three-game homestand. The bad news is the caliber of their opponents. They have to face three Eastern Conference heavyweights and a tough Western opponent in the Minnesota Wild. With the New York Islanders and Red Wings breathing down their necks, the Sens likely need to secure at least five or six out of a possible eight points this week to keep their playoff dreams alive.

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