Game 1 Preview: Senators vs. Lightning - A New Season, Familiar Questions

Photo Credit: Adrian Wyld/CP

The 2025-26 NHL season is finally here, and the Ottawa Senators are set to open things up against the Tampa Bay Lightning, a tough divisional rival and perennial contender. The Bolts will be without a few key names in Nick Paul and J.J. Moser, while Brandon Hagel remains a game-time decision. That said, no one’s ever accused Tampa of lacking depth, so the Sens will have to come out sharp if they want to start the season on the right foot.

Blue Line Battles: What Does the Defence Look Like?

The biggest pre-game buzz in Sens-land? The defensive pairings.

Tyler Kleven and Jordan Spence were skating together at practice, a move that raised more than a few eyebrows. For a player like Spence, who was brought in to push for a top-four role, seeing his name possibly slide down the depth chart (or out of the opening-night lineup) is puzzling. His preseason play was solid, and he looked mobile, confident, and crisp with the puck. So, why the potential demotion?

Head coach Travis Green seems to value Nikolas Matinpalo’s size (6’6” of it) and physical presence, especially in early-season matchups against heavy teams like Tampa. But that doesn’t erase the fact that Spence’s puck-moving ability could be a major asset especially against a team that thrives on quick transitions. If the Sens want to dictate pace rather than react to it, Spence might be exactly what they need on the backend. If I’m in the mind of Travis Green, his rationale may be that Matinpalo is a “safer” option with rookie Donovan Sebrango. 

Who Gets the Nod Beside Stützle and Tkachuk?

It feels like déjà vu every year: who’s the right winger riding shotgun with Tim Stützle and Brady Tkachuk?

Once again, it’s come down to veteran Claude Giroux or newcomer Fabian Zetterlund. Giroux brings the hockey IQ, defensive reliability, and faceoff insurance, the kind of player you can trust when the puck drops on Game 1. But there’s no denying that age and wear have caught up a bit. His pace just isn’t what it used to be, and that matters on a line that thrives on speed and chaos.

Then there’s Zetterlund who is younger, faster, and blessed with a wicked shot. He’s potted over 40 goals in the past two seasons on less talented teams, and the idea of him finishing on feeds from Stützle is enough to make any Sens fan smile. Sure, he’s still a question mark after a quiet 19-game stint in Ottawa last year, but if you’re betting on upside, he’s your guy. The sooner the team lets that chemistry develop, the better.

In the Crease: Ullmark’s First Test

Let’s talk goaltending because, well, when has that not been a storyline in Ottawa?

Linus Ullmark didn’t exactly dazzle in the preseason. A few soft goals, a few shaky moments nothing disastrous, but not exactly what you want to see from your new full-time starter either. Still, preseason is preseason.

What matters now is whether he can find the same earl

y-season magic he had last year, when he opened with a statement win against the eventual Cup champs, the Florida Panthers. The Sens have been searching for stability between the pipes for years and Ullmark has the opportunity to build on what was a very strong season last year.

A solid showing against Tampa, especially if he outduels Andrei Vasilevskiy would go a long way toward easing some nerves in the Nation’s Capital.

Bottom line: The Sens enter Game 1 with potential everywhere, a promising young core, new faces on defence, and a starter looking to prove himself again. But against a team as battle-tested as Tampa, potential has to turn into production fast.

Puck drops Thursday night. Let’s see if the Sens are ready to make some noise.