The 2019–20 Ottawa Senators season was the 28th season of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Senators attempted to return to the playoffs after missing the playoffs in the past two seasons.

The season was suspended by the league officials on March 12, 2020, after several other professional and collegiate sports organizations followed suit as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. On May 26, the NHL regular season was officially declared over with the remaining games being cancelled and the Senators missed the playoffs for the third straight year.

Team business On October 5, 2019, the Senators announced that Chris Phillips would have his jersey number (#4) retired by the team on February 18, 2020. He is the third Senators' player to have their jersey retired by the franchise, the others being Daniel Alfredsson's #11, and original Senator Frank Finnigan's #8.

The team named a new CEO in January 2020. The team had operated without a permanent one since 2018. Owner Eugene Melnyk had temporarily filled the post. The team named Jim Little who had served as executive VP and chief marketing and culture officer with Shaw Communications. Little was given the priority to repair community relations and boost ticket attendance among other business issues. Less than two months later, the Senators dismissed Little on March 4, 2020, and promised to announce a new CEO within a few weeks's time.

Off-season In May 2019, the Ottawa Senators announced that D. J. Smith agreed to a three-year contract to be the team's head coach. The team filled out the coaching staff by hiring associate coach Jack Capuano, assistant coach Davis Payne, assistant coach Bob Jones and video coach Mike King. Capuano and Payne are both former head coaches in the NHL. Goaltending coach Pierre Groulx was retained from the previous staff.

Regular season The Senators started their season with a 5–3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 2. Scott Sabourin scored a goal in his NHL debut during the season opener.

Veteran player Bobby Ryan missed approximately three months while attending an NHL player assistance program. It was later revealed by Ryan that he had entered the program due to ongoing struggles with alcohol abuse. He would return to NHL action on February 25 in an away game versus the Nashville Predators. In his first post-rehab home game on February 27, Ryan made headlines by scoring his fifth career hat trick.

At the trade deadline in February 2020, the club continued to build for the future, trading away Dylan DeMelo, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Vladislav Namestnikov and Tyler Ennis for draft picks. All were pending unrestricted free agents. After the trades, the Senators hold a total of 13 2020 NHL entry draft draft picks, including three in the first round and four in the second round.

The season was suspended by the NHL on March 12, 2020, after several other professional and collegiate sports organizations followed suit as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. On March 17, it was announced that an unnamed Senators player had tested positive for the virus, the first case identified among NHL players. The team announced on March 21 that a second player has also tested positive.

Standings

Divisional standings

Eastern Conference

Schedule and results

Pre-season The pre-season schedule was published on June 18, 2019. 2019 pre-season game log: 3–2–1 (Home: 1–1–0; Road: 2–1–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 17 Ottawa 3–1 Toronto Hogberg – 1–0–0 2 September 18 Toronto 3–4 Ottawa Gustavsson 11,531 2–0–0 3 September 21 Montreal 4–0 Ottawa Anderson 11,185 2–1–0 4 September 23 Ottawa 4–6 Vancouver Nilsson 7,046 2–2–0 5 September 25 Ottawa 6–2 Vancouver Anderson 18,781 3–2–0 6 September 28 Ottawa 3–4 Montreal OT Nilsson 20,746 3–2–1 Notes: Game was played at Mile One Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Game was played at Abbotsford Centre in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

Regular season The regular season schedule was published on June 25, 2019. 2019–20 game logOctober: 3–7–1 (Home: 3–4–0; Road: 0–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 2 Ottawa 3–5 Toronto Anderson 19,612 0–1–0 0 2 October 5 NY Rangers 4–1 Ottawa Anderson 15,135 0–2–0 0 3 October 10 St. Louis 6–4 Ottawa Nilsson 9,204 0–3–0 0 4 October 12 Tampa Bay 2–4 Ottawa Anderson 11,023 1–3–0 2 5 October 14 Minnesota 2–0 Ottawa Anderson 11,500 1–4–0 2 6 October 17 Ottawa 2–3 Vegas SO Nilsson 18,171 1–4–1 3 7 October 19 Ottawa 2–5 Arizona Anderson 17,125 1–5–1 3 8 October 21 Ottawa 1–2 Dallas Nilsson 17,896 1–6–1 3 9 October 23 Detroit 2–5 Ottawa Nilsson 11,026 2–6–1 5 10 October 25 NY Islanders 4–2 Ottawa Nilsson 11,189 2–7–1 5 11 October 27 San Jose 2–5 Ottawa Anderson 9,740 3–7–1 7 November: 8–8–0 (Home: 4–1–0; Road: 4–7–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 12 November 2 Ottawa 2–5 Boston Anderson 17,193 3–8–1 7 13 November 4 Ottawa 6–2 NY Rangers Nilsson 16,302 4–8–1 9 14 November 5 Ottawa 1–4 NY Islanders Anderson 11,212 4–9–1 9 15 November 7 Los Angeles 2–3 Ottawa OT Nilsson 9,929 5–9–1 11 16 November 9 Carolina 1–4 Ottawa Nilsson 12,276 6–9–1 13 17 November 11 Ottawa 2–8 Carolina Nilsson 12,356 6–10–1 13 18 November 13 Ottawa 4–2 New Jersey Anderson 13,438 7–10–1 15 19 November 15 Philadelphia 1–2 Ottawa Nilsson 10,664 8–10–1 17 20 November 16 Ottawa 2–4 Buffalo Anderson 18,555 8–11–1 17 21 November 19 Ottawa 4–3 Detroit Nilsson 19,156 9–11–1 19 22 November 20 Ottawa 2–1 Montreal OT Anderson 20,862 10–11–1 21 23 November 22 NY Rangers 1–4 Ottawa Nilsson 12,349 11–11–1 23 24 November 25 Ottawa 0–1 Columbus Anderson 14,730 11–12–1 23 25 November 27 Boston 2–1 Ottawa Nilsson 13,336 11–13–1 23 26 November 29 Ottawa 2–7 Minnesota Nilsson 17,112 11–14–1 23 27 November 30 Ottawa 1–3 Calgary Hogberg 18,919 11–15–1 23 December: 5–4–4 (Home: 4–0–2; Road: 1–4–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 28 December 3 Ottawa 2–5 Vancouver Nilsson 18,559 11–16–1 23 29 December 4 Ottawa 5–2 Edmonton Anderson 17,162 12–16–1 25 30 December 7 Ottawa 3–4 Philadelphia Nilsson 18,031 12–17–1 25 31 December 9 Boston 2–5 Ottawa Nilsson 13,894 13–17–1 27 32 December 11 Ottawa 2–3 Montreal OT Nilsson 21,055 13–17–2 28 33 December 14 Columbus 3–4 Ottawa OT Nilsson 11,020 14–17–2 30 34 December 16 Ottawa 1–6 Florida Nilsson 10,448 14–18–2 30 35 December 17 Ottawa 3–4 Tampa Bay OT Hogberg 19,092 14–18–3 31 36 December 19 Nashville 4–5 Ottawa OT Hogberg 10,407 15–18–3 33 37 December 21 Philadelphia 5–4 Ottawa SO Hogberg 11,203 15–18–4 34 38 December 23 Buffalo 1–3 Ottawa Anderson 11,838 16–18–4 36 39 December 29 New Jersey 4–3 Ottawa OT Anderson 14,005 16–18–5 37 40 December 30 Ottawa 2–5 Pittsburgh Hogberg 18,653 16–19–5 37 January: 2–5–4 (Home: 1–4–3; Road: 1–1–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 41 January 2 Florida 6–3 Ottawa Anderson 10,991 16–20–5 37 42 January 4 Tampa Bay 5–3 Ottawa Anderson 13,914 16–21–5 37 43 January 7 Ottawa 1–6 Washington Anderson 18,573 16–22–5 37 44 January 10 Ottawa 2–3 Detroit SO Hogberg 18,724 16–22–6 38 45 January 11 Montreal 2–1 Ottawa OT Hogberg 18,088 16–22–7 39 46 January 14 Chicago 3–2 Ottawa OT Hogberg 12,238 16–22–8 40 47 January 16 Vegas 4–2 Ottawa Anderson 12,412 16–23–8 40 48 January 18 Calgary 2–5 Ottawa Hogberg 17,671 17–23–8 42 49 January 27 New Jersey 4–3 Ottawa SO Hogberg 9,673 17–23–9 43 50 January 28 Ottawa 5–2 Buffalo Anderson 16,651 18–23–9 45 51 January 31 Washington 5–3 Ottawa Hogberg 14,279 18–24–9 45 February: 5–7–3 (Home: 5–4–1; Road: 0–3–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 52 February 1 Ottawa 1–2 Toronto OT Anderson 19,406 18–24–10 46 53 February 4 Anaheim 3–2 Ottawa SO Hogberg 9,238 18–24–11 47 54 February 6 Colorado 4–1 Ottawa Hogberg 11,465 18–25–11 47 55 February 8 Ottawa 2–5 Winnipeg Anderson 15,325 18–26–11 47 56 February 11 Ottawa 0–3 Colorado Hogberg 18,015 18–27–11 47 57 February 13 Arizona 2–3 Ottawa Hogberg 9,762 19–27–11 49 58 February 15 Toronto 4–2 Ottawa Hogberg 18,544 19–28–11 49 59 February 16 Dallas 3–4 Ottawa OT Anderson 13,150 20–28–11 51 60 February 18 Buffalo 4–7 Ottawa Anderson 15,040 21–28–11 53 61 February 20 Winnipeg 5–1 Ottawa Hogberg 11,183 21–29–11 53 62 February 22 Montreal 3–0 Ottawa Anderson 18,374 21–30–11 53 63 February 24 Ottawa 3–4 Columbus OT Hogberg 17,518 21–30–12 54 64 February 25 Ottawa 2–3 Nashville Anderson 17,205 21–31–12 54 65 February 27 Vancouver 2–5 Ottawa Hogberg 12,166 22–31–12 56 66 February 29 Detroit 3–4 Ottawa SO Hogberg 15,505 23–31–12 58 March: 2–3–0 (Home: 1–0–0; Road: 1–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 67 March 3 Ottawa 3–7 Pittsburgh Anderson 18,455 23–32–12 58 68 March 5 NY Islanders 3–4 Ottawa Anderson 13,445 24–32–12 60 69 March 7 Ottawa 2–1 San Jose OT Anderson 16,018 25–32–12 62 70 March 10 Ottawa 2–5 Anaheim Hogberg 15,044 25–33–12 62 71 March 11 Ottawa 2–3 Los Angeles Anderson 12,030 25–34–12 62 Cancelled games # Date Visitor Home 72 March 13 Ottawa Chicago 73 March 15 Ottawa St. Louis 74 March 18 Edmonton Ottawa 75 March 20 Ottawa Washington 76 March 21 Ottawa Carolina 77 March 24 Florida Ottawa 78 March 26 Ottawa Boston 79 March 28 Toronto Ottawa 80 March 31 Ottawa Tampa Bay 81 April 2 Ottawa Florida 82 April 4 Pittsburgh OttawaLegend:

Players

Statistics

Skaters Regular season Player 71 21 23 44 −14 106 71 16 27 43 −6 24 ‡ 60 24 16 40 10 32 66 23 17 40 −5 18 71 6 33 39 −18 42 71 11 26 37 −6 20 ‡ 61 14 19 33 −5 16 †‡ 54 13 12 25 −5 35 61 7 16 23 −12 39 49 15 5 20 −15 8 56 9 11 20 0 24 53 7 11 18 1 58 58 1 11 12 −8 22 † 30 1 11 12 −8 18 64 1 11 12 10 12 23 3 7 10 −12 13 ‡ 49 0 10 10 3 31 24 5 3 8 3 22 23 1 7 8 0 4 † 11 2 5 7 2 8 31 3 3 6 −7 10 35 2 4 6 −6 33 20 2 2 4 −1 0 31 0 4 4 −9 16 15 1 2 3 −2 0 24 0 3 3 −8 12 13 0 3 3 −2 6 ‡ 24 1 1 2 −2 8 † 9 0 2 2 −2 0 2 1 0 1 0 2 6 0 1 1 0 0 22 0 1 1 −4 7 3 0 0 0 0 2 6 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 ‡ 4 0 0 0 −2 0 3 0 0 0 1 0

Goaltenders Regular season Player 34 31 1,845:11 11 17 2 100 3.25 1,018 .902 0 0 1 0 20 19 1,093:16 9 9 2 58 3.18 628 .908 0 0 0 0 24 21 1,344:33 5 8 8 70 3.12 728 .904 0 0 0 0 †Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Senators. Stats reflect time with the Senators only. ‡No longer with team. Bold denotes team leader in that category.

Awards and honours Player Award Date Anders Nilsson NHL 1st Star of Week November 11, 2019

Milestones Player Milestone Date Scott Sabourin 1st career NHL game1st career NHL goal1st career NHL point October 2, 2019 Connor Brown 100th career NHL point October 2, 2019 Vitalii Abramov 1st career NHL goal1st career NHL point October 10, 2019 Scott Sabourin 1st career NHL assist October 10, 2019 Ron Hainsey 300th career NHL point October 12, 2019 Bobby Ryan 300th career NHL assist October 12, 2019 J. C. Beaudin 1st career NHL game October 23, 2019 Jonathan Davidsson 1st career NHL game November 7, 2019 J. C. Beaudin 1st career NHL assist1st career NHL point November 9, 2019 Jonathan Davidsson 1st career NHL assist1st career NHL point November 9, 2019 Brady Tkachuk 100th career NHL game December 5, 2019 Craig Anderson 200th win as Ottawa Senator February 18, 2020

Transactions The Senators have been involved in the following transactions during the 2019–20 season.

Trades