Here are the key storylines surrounding the Ottawa Senators and their upcoming schedule for the week of April 5-12, 2026.
The Wild Card Push
The biggest overarching story is the playoff race. The Senators currently hold a 39-27-10 record (88 points), sitting 5th in the highly competitive Atlantic Division.
They are precariously sitting in the second wild card spot, but with the regular season ending on April 16, every single game this week is a must-win to secure it.
Fan Appreciation Week
As the season winds down, Canadian Tire Centre is hosting Fan Appreciation Week. Starting today, April 5, the plaza outside Gate 1 is opening early for pre-game festivities featuring live music (including Ottawa Valley country act Rainwater Whiskey), inflatables, and food specials. The week is slated to wrap up with a Fan Appreciation Skate on April 12.
Bouncing Back
After a tough 4-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild yesterday (April 4), head coach Travis Green and captain Brady Tkachuk are under pressure to rally the locker room and string together some critical late-season wins.
Senators Upcoming Schedule
The Senators are staring down a brutal, make-or-break stretch. They play five games in the next seven days, and all of them are against Eastern Conference foes.
They kick off the week with a three-game homestand against absolute powerhouses — Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers. If they survive that stretch, they immediately pack their bags for a grueling weekend back-to-back on the road against the New York Islanders and the New Jersey Devils. Managing goaltender fatigue between Linus Ullmark and James Reimer will be vital during this condensed run.
| Date | Time (ET) | Opponent | Location |
| Sun, April 5 | 5:00 p.m. | vs. Carolina Hurricanes | Canadian Tire Centre |
| Tue, April 7 | 7:00 p.m. | vs. Tampa Bay Lightning | Canadian Tire Centre |
| Thu, April 9 | 7:00 p.m. | vs. Florida Panthers | Canadian Tire Centre |
| Sat, April 11 | 1:00 p.m. | @ New York Islanders | UBS Arena |
| Sun, April 12 | 7:00 p.m. | @ New Jersey Devils | Prudential Center |
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