2021–22 Ottawa Senators season

The 2021–22 Ottawa Senators season was the 30th season of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Senators attempted to return to the Stanley Cup playoffs after failing to qualify for the past four seasons. The Senators returned to the Atlantic Division after playing in the North Division in 2020–21.

On April 6, 2022, the Senators were eliminated from playoff contention when the Washington Capitals defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Team business In July 2021, the team hired Pierre McGuire as senior vice president of player development. McGuire, who had most recently been a broadcaster with the NHL on NBC, had previously been an assistant coach with the Senators. In August 2021, the Senators announced their new ECHL affiliation with the Atlanta Gladiators.

Owner Eugene Melnyk died on March 28, 2022, due to an unspecified illness. In statements in recent years, Melnyk had said that he planned to leave the team to his two daughters Olivia and Anna, when he had been asked if he intended to sell the team, although there has been speculation about ownership changes. The team added an 'EM' patch on the jersey for the rest of the season.

In April 2022, the club announced a joint proposal with the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group to host the 2023 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in Ottawa.

The National Capital Commission (NCC) resumed the process to redevelop the LeBreton Flats overall site, reserving the site of an arena and asking for preliminary bids on the arena site separately. After a February 2022 deadline to submit bids, the NCC announced that it had received several bids for the site. Local media speculated that the Senators were actively pursuing a bid, authorized by Melnyk shortly before his death. In June 2022, the NCC accepted the Senators' proposal for a new downtown arena and mixed-use development as part of the Lebreton Flats redevelopment. The team will lease the land for their development. Construction is not expected before 2024 after a leasing agreement is finalized and municipal review of the project is completed. The lease agreement is expected to be put in place by autumn of 2023.

Standings

Divisional standings

Conference standings

Schedule and results

Preseason The pre-season schedule was published on July 21, 2021. 2021 preseason game log: 3–4–0 (home: 1–2–0; road: 2–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 26 Ottawa 3–2 Winnipeg OT Forsberg — 1–0–0 2 September 29 Toronto 4–0 Ottawa Gustavsson — 1–1–0 3 October 1 Montreal 2–7 Ottawa Murray — 2–1–0 4 October 2 Ottawa 1–2 Montreal Forsberg 7,500 2–2–0 5 October 4 Toronto 3–1 Ottawa Murray — 2–3–0 6 October 7 Ottawa 5–4 Montreal SO Forsberg 7,500 3–3–0 7 October 9 Ottawa 1–4 Toronto Murray — 3–4–0

Regular season The regular season schedule was published on July 22, 2021. On November 15, the NHL announced the postponement of three Senators games due to there being ten Senators players in the League's COVID-19 protocol with "evidence of continued spread in recent days", rendering the team inactive until they were cleared to return to practice on November 20, in time to play their November 22 game hosted by the Colorado Avalanche. In the meantime, three games were postponed: at the New Jersey Devils on the 16th, against the Nashville Predators on the 18th, and against the New York Rangers on the 20th. 2021–22 game logOctober: 3–4–0 (home: 2–3–0; road: 1–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 14 Toronto 2–3 Ottawa Forsberg 15,159 1–0–0 2 2 October 16 Ottawa 1–3 Toronto Forsberg 18,211 1–1–0 2 3 October 17 Dallas 2–3 Ottawa Gustavsson 8,067 2–1–0 4 4 October 21 San Jose 2–1 Ottawa Murray 8,994 2–2–0 4 5 October 23 NY Rangers 3–2 Ottawa Forsberg 11,167 2–3–0 4 6 October 25 Washington 7–5 Ottawa Gustavsson 11,387 2–4–0 4 7 October 29 Ottawa 4–1 Dallas Gustavsson 17,346 3–4–0 6 November: 1–10–1 (home: 1–4–0; road: 0–6–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 8 November 1 Ottawa 1–5 Chicago Murray 15,946 3–5–0 6 9 November 2 Ottawa 4–5 Minnesota OT Gustavsson 15,276 3–5–1 7 10 November 4 Vegas 5–1 Ottawa Gustavsson 13,211 3–6–1 7 11 November 6 Tampa Bay 5–3 Ottawa Murray 12,417 3–7–1 7 12 November 9 Ottawa 2–3 Boston Murray 17,850 3–8–1 7 13 November 11 Los Angeles 2–0 Ottawa Gustavsson 8,221 3–9–1 7 14 November 13 Pittsburgh 3–6 Ottawa Gustavsson 14,661 4–9–1 9 15 November 14 Calgary 4–0 Ottawa Forsberg 10,244 4–10–1 9 — November 16 Ottawa – New Jersey Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to December 6. — November 18 Nashville – Ottawa Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to April 7. — November 20 NY Rangers – Ottawa Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to February 20. 16 November 22 Ottawa 5–7 Colorado Gustavsson 16,706 4–11–1 9 17 November 24 Ottawa 3–6 San Jose Murray 10,076 4–12–1 9 18 November 26 Ottawa 0–4 Anaheim Forsberg 14,687 4–13–1 9 19 November 27 Ottawa 2–4 Los Angeles Gustavsson 15,406 4–14–1 9 December: 5–3–1 (home: 2–2–0; road: 3–1–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 20 December 1 Vancouver 6–2 Ottawa Gustavsson 10,571 4–15–1 9 21 December 2 Ottawa 3–2 Carolina Forsberg 14,915 5–15–1 11 22 December 4 Colorado 5–6 Ottawa OT Forsberg 14,237 6–15–1 13 23 December 6 Ottawa 3–2 New Jersey SO Forsberg 10,312 7–15–1 15 24 December 7 NY Islanders 5–3 Ottawa Gustavsson 10,229 7–16–1 15 25 December 11 Tampa Bay 0–4 Ottawa Forsberg 13,076 8–16–1 17 26 December 14 Ottawa 8–2 Florida Forsberg 13,759 9–16–1 19 27 December 16 Ottawa 1–2 Tampa Bay Forsberg 19,092 9–17–1 19 28 December 18 Ottawa 3–4 Philadelphia OT Forsberg 18,437 9–17–2 20 — December 19 Boston – Ottawa Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to February 19. — December 21 St. Louis Ottawa Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to February 15. — December 23 Carolina Ottawa Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to February 8. — December 27 Ottawa Washington Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to February 13. — December 29 Boston Ottawa Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to February 12. — December 31 Pittsburgh Ottawa Postponed due to attendance restrictions. Moved to February 10.January: 5–4–2 (home: 2–2–1; road: 3–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 29 January 1 Ottawa 0–6 Toronto Murray 989 9–18–2 20 — January 3 Minnesota Ottawa Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to February 22. — January 6 Ottawa Seattle Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to April 18. — January 8 Ottawa Vancouver Postponed due to attendance restrictions. Moved to April 19. — January 10 Ottawa Edmonton Postponed due to COVID-19. Moved to January 15. 30 January 13 Ottawa 4–1 Calgary Murray 9,639 10–18–2 22 — January 15 Ottawa Winnipeg Postponed due to attendance restrictions. Moved to March 24. 31 January 15 Ottawa 6–4 Edmonton Murray 9,150 11–18–2 24 32 January 18 Buffalo 3–1 Ottawa Forsberg 0 11–19–2 24 33 January 20 Ottawa 4–6 Pittsburgh Gustavsson 18,060 11–20–2 24 34 January 22 Ottawa 2–3 Washington OT Murray 18,573 11–20–3 25 35 January 23 Ottawa 2–1 Columbus Forsberg 15,037 12–20–3 27 36 January 25 Buffalo 0–5 Ottawa Murray 0 13–20–3 29 37 January 27 Carolina 3–2 Ottawa SO Murray 0 13–20–4 30 38 January 29 Anaheim 2–1 Ottawa Forsberg 0 13–21–4 30 39 January 31 Edmonton 2–3 Ottawa OT Murray 500 14–21–4 32 February: 5–6–1 (home: 3–5–1; road: 2–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 40 February 1 Ottawa 1–4 NY Islanders Forsberg 15,258 14–22–4 32 41 February 7 New Jersey 1–4 Ottawa Murray 500 15–22–4 34 42 February 8 Carolina 3–4 Ottawa Forsberg 500 16–22–4 36 43 February 10 Pittsburgh 2–0 Ottawa Murray 500 16–23–4 36 44 February 12 Boston 2–0 Ottawa Murray 500 16–24–4 36 45 February 13 Ottawa 4–1 Washington Forsberg 18,573 17–24–4 38 46 February 15 St. Louis 5–2 Ottawa Murray 500 17–25–4 38 47 February 17 Ottawa 3–1 Buffalo Forsberg 7,026 18–25–4 40 48 February 19 Boston 3–2 Ottawa OT Forsberg 5,212 18–25–5 41 49 February 20 NY Rangers 2–1 Ottawa Gustavsson 5,181 18–26–5 41 50 February 22 Minnesota 3–4 Ottawa Forsberg 7,602 19–26–5 43 51 February 26 Montreal 2–1 Ottawa Murray 9,958 19–27–5 43 March: 4–10–1 (home: 2–3–1; road: 2–7–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 52 March 1 Ottawa 2–5 Tampa Bay Murray 19,092 19–28–5 43 53 March 3 Ottawa 0–3 Florida Forsberg 16,499 19–29–5 43 54 March 5 Ottawa 5–8 Arizona Murray 11,810 19–30–5 43 55 March 6 Ottawa 1–2 Vegas Forsberg 17,909 19–31–5 43 56 March 8 Ottawa 4–1 St. Louis Forsberg 18,096 20–31–5 45 57 March 10 Seattle 3–4 Ottawa OT Forsberg 11,622 21–31–5 47 58 March 12 Chicago 6–3 Ottawa Forsberg 14,252 21–32–5 47 59 March 14 Arizona 5–3 Ottawa Gustavsson 9,201 21–33–5 47 60 March 16 Columbus 4–1 Ottawa Forsberg 10,087 21–34–5 47 61 March 18 Philadelphia 1–3 Ottawa Forsberg 11,431 22–34–5 49 62 March 19 Ottawa 1–5 Montreal Gustavsson 21,105 22–35–5 49 63 March 22 Ottawa 0–3 NY Islanders Forsberg 15,856 22–36–5 49 64 March 24 Ottawa 5–2 Winnipeg Forsberg 14,175 23–36–5 51 65 March 26 Florida 4–3 Ottawa SO Forsberg 17,201 23–36–6 52 66 March 29 Ottawa 1–4 Nashville Forsberg 17,176 23–37–6 52 April: 10–5–1 (home: 3–3–1; road: 7–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 67 April 1 Ottawa 5–2 Detroit Sogaard 17,563 24–37–6 54 68 April 3 Detroit 2–5 Ottawa Forsberg 16,402 25–37–6 56 69 April 5 Ottawa 6–3 Montreal Forsberg 20,566 26–37–6 58 70 April 7 Nashville 3–2 Ottawa Forsberg 12,103 26–38–6 58 71 April 9 Ottawa 1–5 NY Rangers Forsberg 18,006 26–39–6 58 72 April 10 Winnipeg 4–3 Ottawa Sogaard 12,207 26–40–6 58 73 April 12 Ottawa 4–1 Detroit Forsberg 16,093 27–40–6 60 74 April 14 Ottawa 3–2 Boston Forsberg 17,850 28–40–6 62 75 April 16 Toronto 5–4 Ottawa OT Forsberg 18,655 28–40–7 63 76 April 18 Ottawa 2–4 Seattle Forsberg 17,151 28–41–7 63 77 April 19 Ottawa 4–3 Vancouver SO Gustavsson 18,845 29–41–7 65 78 April 22 Ottawa 2–1 Columbus SO Gustavsson 18,116 30–41–7 67 79 April 23 Montreal 4–6 Ottawa Forsberg 19,410 31–41–7 69 80 April 26 New Jersey 4–5 Ottawa OT Forsberg 13,101 32–41–7 71 81 April 28 Florida 4–0 Ottawa Gustavsson 17,102 32–42–7 71 82 April 29 Ottawa 4–2 Philadelphia Forsberg 17,575 33–42–7 73 Legend:

Player statistics

Skaters Regular season Player 79 30 37 67 −7 117 79 22 36 58 −27 37 66 35 20 55 −7 16 46 17 27 44 +4 32 64 10 29 39 −15 10 59 7 31 38 −3 26 79 18 14 32 −13 59 57 8 16 24 −6 16 81 6 16 22 +1 60 76 5 14 19 0 12 ‡ 59 11 7 18 −18 22 70 6 12 18 −12 14 ‡ 62 9 8 17 −13 37 67 10 6 16 −3 91 53 0 14 14 −17 30 26 3 10 13 −4 4 41 7 5 12 −4 60 † 11 4 8 12 +8 6 † 50 4 8 12 −6 13 62 2 9 11 −7 28 24 3 7 10 −11 4 63 3 4 7 +2 12 37 0 7 7 −19 4 ‡ 46 0 6 6 −9 32 16 0 5 5 −8 2 16 2 2 4 −1 14 † 19 1 2 3 +5 8 17 1 2 3 −3 2 7 0 2 2 −2 11 9 0 1 1 −3 6 8 0 1 1 1 4 5 0 1 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 –1 7 2 0 0 0 –1 2 8 0 0 0 −6 4 1 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0

Goaltenders Regular season Player 46 44 2,571:27 22 17 4 121 2.82 1,457 .917 1 0 0 2 20 20 1,181:30 5 12 2 60 3.05 640 .906 1 0 0 0 18 16 1,047:33 5 12 1 62 3.55 574 .892 0 0 0 0 2 2 117:18 1 1 0 6 3.07 54 .889 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 the Senators.

Awards and honours

Milestones Player Milestone Date Drake Batherson 100th career NHL game October 14, 2021 Connor Brown 100th career NHL assist October 17, 2021 Brady Tkachuk 200th career NHL game October 23, 2021 Egor Sokolov 1st career NHL game November 9, 2021 Lassi Thomson 1st career NHL game November 12, 2021 Mark Kastelic 1st career NHL game January 29, 2022 Mads Sogaard 1st career NHL game April 1, 2022 Cole Reinhardt 1st career NHL game April 7, 2022 Viktor Lodin 1st career NHL game April 29, 2022

Transactions The Senators have been involved in the following transactions during the 2021–22 season.

Trades