Story Summary
Thomas Chabot has been named captain of the Ottawa Senators ahead of the club’s first game of the 2026-27 season.
The 29-year-old defenceman becomes the successor to Brady Tkachuk, who had worn the C for the previous five seasons before being traded to the Florida Panthers on June 21. Chabot is Ottawa’s longest-tenured player, having spent all nine of his NHL seasons with the Senators since they selected him 18th overall in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Claude Giroux and Tim Stutzle will serve as alternate captains at forward, with Jake Sanderson named an alternate from the blue line. The announcement formalises a new leadership group around a player whose tenure, workload and standing within the organisation have made him a central figure in Ottawa.
Chabot said the appointment was a “huge honour”, adding that he believes the Senators have a close group entering the season. General manager Steve Staios praised Chabot’s commitment to the city and organisation, as well as his team-first approach.
Key Facts
- Thomas Chabot has been named captain of the Ottawa Senators ahead of their first game of the 2026-27 regular season.
- Chabot, 29, is Ottawa’s longest-tenured player and has played all nine of his NHL seasons with the club.
- The Senators selected Chabot in the first round, 18th overall, of the 2015 NHL Draft.
- He replaces Brady Tkachuk, who captained Ottawa for five seasons before being traded to the Florida Panthers on June 21.
- Claude Giroux, Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson have been named alternate captains.
- Chabot recorded 31 points, including seven goals and 24 assists, in 57 games last season while averaging 22:35 of ice time per game.
- In Ottawa’s four-game playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, Chabot led the Stanley Cup Playoffs in average ice time at 31:07 per game.
- Across 569 regular-season games, Chabot has 78 goals, 257 assists and 335 points. He has added four points in 10 postseason games.
IHM Discussion
The captaincy recognises both Chabot’s longevity and the scale of his responsibilities on Ottawa’s blue line. He has remained with the Senators throughout his NHL career, and last season he was second on the club in average ice time, behind only Sanderson. In the playoffs, his 31:07 average over four games underlined how heavily Ottawa relied on him in demanding minutes.
That workload does not by itself define leadership, but it gives Chabot a prominent daily role from which to set standards. A captain on the blue line is often closely connected to the rhythm of a game: managing shifts, responding after momentum swings and communicating through defensive situations. Chabot’s appointment places the C with a player who already occupies those high-leverage stretches.
The alternate group also gives Ottawa a spread of experience and roles. Giroux brings a forward’s perspective, Stutzle is part of the club’s attacking core, and Sanderson joins Chabot as a leadership presence on defence. The important detail is not a wholesale remaking of the dressing room, but a clarified structure after Tkachuk’s departure.
Chabot’s public reaction was notably emotional, describing the role as a major honour. That response fits the significance of the appointment for a player drafted and developed by Ottawa, and for a club beginning its season with a new captain in place.
Why It Matters
Ottawa’s captaincy had to be addressed following Tkachuk’s trade, and the Senators have turned to the player with the longest uninterrupted connection to the club. Chabot’s selection provides a clear leadership reference point before the regular season begins.
It also aligns the captaincy with a player who handles major minutes. Last season, he averaged 22:35 per game, then carried an even greater load in the postseason. His on-ice role and formal leadership role will now sit together, while Giroux, Stutzle and Sanderson provide support as alternates.
For the Senators, the immediate significance is organisational clarity rather than a change to the hockey calendar: the leadership group is set before the opener in Toronto.
Fan Pulse
For Ottawa supporters, Chabot’s appointment offers continuity at a moment of change. Tkachuk’s exit removed the previous captain, but the Senators have promoted a player who has spent his entire NHL career with the club. The announcement also gives fans a defined leadership group to follow into the season, with Giroux, Stutzle and Sanderson alongside Chabot.
Mini Q&A
Who is the new Ottawa Senators captain?
Thomas Chabot has been named captain of the Ottawa Senators ahead of the 2026-27 season opener.
Who did Thomas Chabot replace as Senators captain?
Chabot replaces Brady Tkachuk, who had been Ottawa’s captain for the previous five seasons before his trade to the Florida Panthers on June 21.
Who are Ottawa’s alternate captains?
Claude Giroux, Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson have been named alternate captains.
What did Chabot produce last season?
Chabot had seven goals and 24 assists for 31 points in 57 games, averaging 22:35 of ice time per game.
Coach Mark Comment
Naming a captain from the blue line places added emphasis on composed communication during the busiest parts of a game. Chabot already carries substantial minutes, and his playoff average showed Ottawa trusted him in extended situations. The key value of this appointment is that the formal leadership role matches an established on-ice responsibility, while the alternate captains give the group voices across both forward and defence.
What Comes Next
The Senators open their regular season at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. It will be Chabot’s first game as Ottawa captain.
IHM Final View
Chabot’s promotion is a straightforward statement of trust in a long-serving Senator who has handled significant responsibility on the ice. With Tkachuk no longer in Ottawa, the club has chosen continuity through Chabot’s tenure while establishing a wider leadership group around him ahead of the new season.