The Ottawa Senators opened their 2026-27 season with a win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, NHL.com reported. Defenseman Thomas Chabot was a central figure in the result, according to the same report, which framed the game as an edge for Ottawa over its divisional rival.
The matchup drew attention on both sides before puck drop. TSN reported that Senators players described the wait to begin their schedule as "brutal," noting the team had grown "antsy" while watching a revamped Toronto roster play twice before Ottawa's first game. Silver Seven Sens published a preview and open thread ahead of the contest, treating it as Game 1 for the Senators.
Toronto's side came away frustrated. Sportsnet.ca reported that the Maple Leafs' loss could not be explained away by puck luck alone, pointing to "lots of iron" during the game. Maple Leaf Hot Stove, in its game review, wrote that Toronto wasted a dominant second period and described the outcome as another disappointing result against a divisional opponent.
Taken together, the coverage points to a game where Ottawa made its chances count while Toronto generated pressure without converting it. The Senators had waited longer than their opponent to get started, and the result gave them the first word in the season series between the two teams.
What to watch next: whether Toronto can turn that second-period pressure into goals, and whether Ottawa builds on the opener when the teams meet again.
