Sens 'can't wait to go' after clinching playoff berth to end eight-year drought
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The Ottawa Senators had reason to celebrate despite a 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night, having clinched a berth to the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Ottawa (42-30-6) ended a gruelling eight-year playoff drought after the Detroit Red Wings were defeated 4-1 by the Montreal Canadiens, helping the Senators earn their first appearance to the postseason since reaching the Eastern Conference Final in 2017.
After the game, there was an air of excitement in the locker room with many players reflecting on getting the team get back to the playoffs after a lengthy rebuild.
“You're not going to see me smile a whole lot after a loss, but man, it feels great. It definitely does,” defenceman Thomas Chabot told NHL.com. “It's the whole group, everybody from top to bottom. I think everybody just took a huge step this year. Everybody did whatever they could every single night to get into the playoffs.”
“Now that it's confirmed, obviously we still got some games to play, but I think the entire group is just freaking fired up. We're just excited to get in. We can't wait to go.”
Chabot, 28, is the longest-tenured member of the team after being selected in the first round by Ottawa in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
A veteran of 509 regular season contests across nine seasons, Chabot is now set to make his playoff debut next month.
“I don't think there's a team who deserves it more than us,” added Tim Stutzle. “I think we really worked really hard this year, and we’ve just got to keep it going.
“I think everybody bought in. Everybody is playing way better defensively, and obviously our goalies have been huge for us.”
The Senators’ late season push puts an end to the third-longest active playoff drought in the sport, with only the Buffalo Sabres (14 seasons) and Red Wings (nine seasons) waiting longer for a postseason appearance.
Back in February, the Senators’ hopes for a potential playoff berth appeared to take a major hit following their fifth straight loss. The team was outscored 23-8 over that stretch and had fallen to 29-25-4 on the year.
Captain Brady Tkachuk told TSN’s Claire Hanna that Ottawa would “treat every game like a Game 7” going forward, rallying his team to a 13-5-2 record since then.
“We're in the dance. It’s pretty exciting,” said Drake Batherson . “Some of us have been at it seven, eight years without a playoff game, so really proud of the group, and everyone's really excited in the organization right now.”
Head coach Travis Green, now in his first season with behind Ottawa’s bench, reiterated his players’ excitement following Tuesday’s game.
“I know how badly they want to win, and you know everyone wants to win, and you don't always get into the playoffs, but being on the inside of our room, I truly felt like this group was willing to do whatever it took to take the next step,” he said.
“We've gotten there and now we've got to start gearing up for the playoffs.”