For Ottawa Senators fans, fresh off the club's first playoff appearance since 2017, the countdown to October has never felt more exciting.
The NHL officially released the Senators' 2025-26 regular season schedule on Wednesday afternoon.
The Senators begin with a Florida road trip they'd probably prefer to save for later in the season when Ottawa's weather turns cold. They face the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 9 and the Florida Panthers on October 11. The Sens home opener at Canadian Tire Centre will be on October 13th against the Nashville Predators.
After playing just three regular-season games against the rival Toronto Maple Leafs last season, the league saw fit to get them together the usual four times this season. But we'll have to wait almost half the season for the first meeting on December 27.
The Senators have a seven-game road trip at the end of November. Their tour takes them through Anaheim, San Jose, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, St. Louis, Dallas and Montreal. According to the team, it will be third-longest road trip in team history. The Sens had a nine-gamer last season when the World Junior Tournament chased them out of their building.
As was the case for last year's 4 Nations Face-off, things will shut down in February for the Winter Olympics. This one will be a 20-day-long break as eligible active NHL players return to Olympic hockey for the first time in eight years.
2025-26 Ottawa Senators Schedule
Thursday, Oct. 9 at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 11 at Florida, 7 p.m.
Monday, Oct 13 vs. Nashville, 1 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 15 at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 16 vs. Seattle, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 18 vs. N.Y. Islanders, 3 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 21 vs. Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 23 vs. Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 25 at Washington, 7 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 27 vs. Boston, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 28 at Chicago, 8:45 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 30 vs. Calgary, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 1 at Montreal, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 6 at Boston, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 8 at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 9 vs. Utah, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 11 vs. Dallas, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 13 vs. Boston, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 15 vs. Los Angeles, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 20 at Anaheim, 10 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 22 at San Jose, 7 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 24 at Los Angeles, 9 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 26 at Vegas, 10 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 28 at St. Louis, 4 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 30 at Dallas, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 2 at Montreal, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 4 vs. N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 6 vs. St. Louis, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 9 vs. New Jersey, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 11 at Columbus, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 13 at Minnesota, 2 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 15 at Winnipeg, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 18 vs. Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 20 vs. Chicago, 3 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 21 at Boston, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 23 vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 27 at Toronto, 7 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 29 vs. Columbus, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 1 vs. Washington, 1 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 3 vs. Winnipeg, 7 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 5 vs. Detroit, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 7 at Utah, 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 8 at Colorado, 9 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 10 vs. Florida, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 13 vs. Vancouver, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 14 at N.Y. Rangers, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 17 vs. Montreal, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 18 at Detroit, 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 20 at Columbus, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 22 at Nashville, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 24 vs. Carolina, 7 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 25 vs. Vegas, 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 28 vs. Colorado, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 31 vs. New Jersey, 7 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 2 at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 3 at Carolina, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 5 at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 26 vs. Detroit, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 28 at Toronto, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, March 3 at Edmonton, 9 p.m.
Thursday, March 5 at Calgary, 9 p.m.
Saturday, March 7 at Seattle, 10 p.m.
Monday, March 9 at Vancouver, 9 p.m.
Wednesday, March 11 vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 14 vs. Anaheim, 1 p.m.
Sunday, March 15 vs. San Jose, 5 p.m.
Wednesday, March 18 at Washington, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 19 vs. N.Y. Islanders, 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 21 vs. Toronto, 7 p.m.
Monday, March 23 at N.Y. Rangers, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 24 at Detroit, 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 26 vs. Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 28 at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Tuesday, March 31 at Florida, 7 p.m.
Thursday, April 2 vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 4 vs. Minnesota, 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 5 vs. Carolina, 5 p.m.
Tuesday, April 7 vs. Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.
Thursday, April 9 vs. Florida, 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 11 at N.Y. Islanders, 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 12 at New Jersey, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, April 15 vs. Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
After playing just three regular-season games against the rival Toronto Maple Leafs last season, the league saw fit to get them together the usual four times this season. But we'll have to wait almost half the season for the first meeting on December 27.
The Senators have a seven-game road trip at the end of November. Their tour takes them through Anaheim, San Jose, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, St. Louis, Dallas and Montreal. According to the team, it will be third-longest road trip in team history. The Sens had a nine-gamer last season when the World Junior Tournament chased them out of their building.
As was the case for last year's 4 Nations Face-off, things will shut down in February for the Winter Olympics. This one will be a 20-day-long break as eligible active NHL players return to Olympic hockey for the first time in eight years.
The NHL announced on Monday that the 2025-26 regular season will open on Oct. 7.
The league opted to go with a horrible mismatch to kick things off. They announced on Monday that the first game of the season will be in Florida, where the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers will host the 31st-place Chicago Blackhawks.
By Steve Warne
The Hockey News - Ottawa
Image Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
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