Road ahead to make playoffs is a tough one for Senators

The Ottawa Senators made the playoffs last season for the first time in several years, but as we approach the end of the 2025-26 regular season, it’s looking less and less likely that they’ll return to the dance.

The Senators enter the weekend with a 35-24-9 record with 79 points in 68 games, five points back of both the Boston Bruins and Detroit Red Wings for the two Wildcard spots in the Eastern Conference.

On Thursday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discussed the Senators’ playoff chances and what decisions may have doomed their season from the start.

Tyler Yaremchuk: You start to look at the road ahead, and even though they have a game in hand on both the Red Wings, Boston, the Islanders, you’re five or six points back of all of them. You’re almost getting to a point where you’re running out of runway in the season. Their only saving grace is that they have head-to-head matchups against the Islanders, Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Carter Hutton: I think when you look back on this team and the way it’s gone this year, and yes Linus Ullmark wasn’t as statistically good as he was last year. The decision to go with Leevi Merilainen full time in the NHL after a horrible preseason might be one of those situations where they might regret not having more of a veteran guy in that situation.

Last year when Merilainen got called up, he played very well and he was a big reason why they made the playoffs, but this year, he went 8-10-1 with an .860 save percentage. I think that’s the smoking gun. I know there’s a lot of pressure on Ullmark, but you need a capable guy right there with him.

You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…