Senators Week Ahead: Schedule & Storylines – Going to Germany, Banged Up Blue Line and More – The Hockey Writers – Ottawa Senators

Here is a breakdown of the key storylines surrounding the Ottawa Senators right now and their upcoming schedule for the week of March 15-22, 2026.

NHL Modifies Draft Penalty

The NHL has officially reduced the punishment initially handed down to the Senators regarding the botched 2021 Evgenii Dadonov trade to the Vegas Golden Knights.

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.

The Sens Are Going to Germany

The NHL announced that the Senators will play two regular-season games against the Chicago Blackhawks in Düsseldorf, Germany, on Dec. 18 and 20, 2026. This is a massive storyline for the franchise and especially for German-born Sens star Tim Stützle, as Düsseldorf is just a short distance from his hometown.

The Blue Line is Banged Up

Ottawa’s 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’s Brandon Montour. Additionally, Nick Jensen is sidelined with a lower-body injury. 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’Rourke and Samuel Bolduc.

Meanwhile, Tyler Kleven was also recently fined the NHL maximum of $4,166.67 for cross-checking Seattle’s Jared McCann.

Hanging on to Playoff Hopes

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 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.

Senators Upcoming Schedule

This is a make-or-break week for Ottawa’s 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 “four-point games.” 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.

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