Ottawa Senators players are heading into this year's playoffs with a message: the lessons from last spring aren't going to waste.
As the Senators prepare for Round 1, players and coaches have been reflecting on what last year's playoff experience taught them — and how that knowledge can translate into a deeper run this time around.
"Playoffs is kind of like a new season," one Senators player noted, a sentiment echoed throughout the dressing room. For a young Ottawa squad that got its first real taste of postseason intensity last year, that reset mentality is exactly what the coaching staff has been preaching.
A Team Forged in Last Year's Fire
Last season's playoff run, while ultimately cut short, gave the Senators something no regular season stretch can provide: high-stakes, high-pressure experience. Playing in front of a raucous Canadian Tire Centre crowd in playoff mode, managing emotions through elimination pressure, and adjusting to the speed and physicality of postseason hockey — these are lessons you can't learn any other way.
The Senators' core — built around players still in or approaching their prime — used those moments as a crash course. Now, with another full regular season of development behind them, Ottawa enters the 2026 playoffs as a more battle-tested group.
Depth and Buy-In
One of the key takeaways from last year was the importance of depth contributions. In a short playoff series, fourth-line energy, penalty-killing grit, and goaltending reliability can swing momentum just as much as top-line production. The Senators have spent the year working to deepen those roles.
The coaching staff has also emphasized the collective mindset. Playoff hockey demands a level of sacrifice and role clarity that regular season play doesn't always require. Getting every player bought into a simplified, defensive-minded structure — while still allowing Ottawa's offensive talent to shine — has been a focal point of preparation.
The Ottawa Crowd Factor
There's also a not-so-secret weapon: the Ottawa fanbase. When the Senators are deep in a playoff run, Canadian Tire Centre transforms into one of the most electric buildings in the NHL. Last year gave fans a reminder of what Sens playoff hockey feels like, and the city has been buzzing with anticipation ever since the team punched its ticket back to the postseason.
Players have spoken about feeding off that energy — using the crowd as a genuine home-ice advantage, especially in critical Game 3s and 4s where momentum can define a series.
Eyes on Round 1
The Senators know Round 1 won't be easy. Every team that makes the playoffs has earned their spot, and the margins in a short series are razor-thin. But Ottawa's message is clear: they're not the same team that stepped into the playoffs last year as relative newcomers to the intensity.
They've been there. They know what it costs. And they believe they're ready to go further.
For Ottawa fans, the hope is that this year, the lessons finally pay off with a series win — and a deeper postseason run the city has been waiting years to celebrate.
Source: NHL.com
