The Senators Are Hanging in There Without Sanderson & Chabot
Congratulations are in order for the Ottawa Senators. They keep finding ways to stay in the race, and that’s worth applauding. Last night’s 4–1 win over Buffalo wasn’t a sermon on dominance; it was a practical, patchwork victory from a club that’s had to learn how to improvise. When your two best blueliners — Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot — are sidelined at precisely the wrong moment, you do not expect elegance. You expect grit. And Ottawa supplied it.
Losing Sanderson and Chabot is a body blow for the Senators.
Sanderson, still early in his career, already plays like a complete defender. He brings mobility, temperament, and an unnerving knack for making the right read. Chabot is the seasoned fulcrum, the one who so often steadies a chaotic night. Their absences thin the margin for error.
Yet the Senators didn’t fold. They shuffled the deck, leaned on veterans, and got the job done. Those are the nights that tell you more about organizational depth and character than a dozen tidy wins against a gentle schedule ever could.
Three reasons to tip the hat to Ottawa right now.
Reason One: The Senators show defensive resilience without panic.
You’d think the absence of two top-pair defenders would invite an avalanche of goals. Instead, the Senators tightened their structure. Positioning improved, forwards helped down low, and the team didn’t rush. That kind of discipline has been essential. And the team got that, which is what keeps a season alive.
Reason Two: The Senators are getting good goaltending and timely scoring.
Reliable play in the crease and scoring the kind of goals that come from detail rather than flash have made the difference. Ottawa didn’t rely on a single superstar to bail them out; they spread responsibility across lines, found secondary scoring, and banked saves when necessary. In playoff-style hockey, that balance is often the deciding factor.
Reason Three: The Senators have good coaching and a solid team culture.
You can see a system that’s been rehearsed and a locker room that buys in. Coaches made pragmatic adjustments; players accepted new roles without complaint. That buy-in is the glue for any team missing key pieces.
A couple of final thoughts about the Senators.
While the Senators have been in and out of a playoff position, they are fragile in places and must hope Sanderson returns at full strength. But the virtue here is perseverance. In a long season, survival sometimes matters as much as style.
Ottawa’s kept itself within striking distance, and that’s no small thing with injuries biting at the heels. If they can maintain this measured, workmanlike approach — and get one or both defenders back healthy — they’ll be a very dangerous matchup come April.
For now: well done, Senators. Keep patching the holes and winning the small battles. That’s how you stay alive in this league.