The Ottawa Senators Should Captain By Committee This Year

The Ottawa Senators have a captaincy vacancy, and much has been discussed this off-season about who should be given the ‘C’ on their jersey this upcoming season.

The Senators are captainless since trading Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers, but there are a handful of players on the roster who are viewed as potential candidates to replace him in the most important role on the ice. It has generated plenty of discussion about who is most deserving of the ‘C’, but pushing that decision to the 2027-28 season may be the best approach that general manager Steve Staios could take.

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The Candidates

The Ottawa Senators realistically have roughly four players who are serious contenders for being named captain of the team: Thomas Chabot, Jake Sanderson, Tim Stützle, and Drake Batherson. Batherson is arguably the outsider in this discussion, especially with his contract expiring next summer and no extension in place at the time of writing.

Thomas Chabot is a logical choice for the ‘C’ for a number of reasons. He is the oldest and most experienced of the players on the shortlist, having been selected by the Senators 18th overall in the 2015 Draft. The Sainte-Marie, Quebec, native turns 30 this season and has already played in 569 regular-season games (78 goals, 257 assists) for the Senators, leading the defensive unit for the majority of that time.

Jake Sanderson, nearly six years Chabot’s junior, has emerged as a genuine star in the NHL and is starting to take over the mantle as the Senators’ top defenceman, which makes him another obvious choice for the honour. He has grown immensely across his first four seasons in the NHL, finishing top ten in Norris Trophy voting in back-to-back seasons while combining for 111 points (25 goals, 86 assists) during that stretch. If Chabot was the leader of the blueline, Sanderson may have now eclipsed him in that role.

Tim Stützle is by far the team’s standout offensive player. He is the team’s number one centre; he scored 34 goals last season and was a touch over a point-per-game player. Even when Tkachuk was on the team, it was the 24-year-old German who would consistently lead the way in offensive production for the team. Brad Marchand’s recent social media comments aside, Stützle is another clear option for the captaincy when the team makes a decision.

Why a Committee Is Best

While all the players under consideration for the role would be excellent choices, the Ottawa Senators may be better off withholding the ‘C’ for the time being and simply having a group of alternate captains for the 2026-27 season. There is no need to rush when making a decision as important as this one. There may be a clear leader in the locker room, and Travis Green will certainly be communicating as such with Staios about this, but it could be a situation where there is a group rather than one individual that is leading the team.

Having the aforementioned players all don the ‘A’, with a clear understanding that should any one of them take the reins and step up over the course of this year, then the ‘C’ will be theirs this time next summer, is a situation that could benefit the Senators. The team will want players to step up and show their leadership qualities after Tkachuk’s departure, and this will allow all of the players to help take the team forward in a positive direction.

It will also ensure that the right person is chosen. A captain could be named before the start of this season, but a few months down the line, there could be signs that someone else may have been a better choice. The Senators need to make sure that the next person they give the captaincy to is exactly the kind of character off the ice that is needed to get the team working in the same direction.

Some players struggle after being given the responsibility that the ‘C’ carries, and it would be a shame for the Ottawa Senators to give someone the honour and then suffer for it. By having a committee, they are saying that they trust this group and want them to take an active role in leading the team now that Tkachuk is gone. This could elevate the way they play or conduct themselves off the ice without the full responsibility being on their shoulders.

Whoever is named captain will ultimately be deserving of it, but the decision does not have to be made immediately. Start the season with four alternates and let the team focus on their hunt for more playoff success.

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