OTTAWA – The Ottawa Senators have one regular-season game remaining, but their sights are firmly set on the upcoming playoffs.
On Tuesday night, the Senators learned they’ll open the post-season against their provincial rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ottawa was 3-0-0 against Toronto this season.
This marks Ottawa’s first playoff appearance in eight years and their first post-season showdown with the Leafs since 2004.
Senators head coach Travis Green is eager for his team to experience the intensity of playoff hockey and he’s no stranger to the fanfare the provincial battle provides.
Green was a member of the 2001-02 Leafs team that beat the Senators in seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
“Exciting is probably downplaying it a little bit,” said Green. “I think it’s going to be great for the province. The Battle of Ontario is well known and we haven’t been in the playoffs for a long time and it’s going to be exciting.”
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Now Green will get to experience the rivalry from a different vantage point.
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“It won’t be just the players that are excited,” he said. “Coaches will be excited, too.”
And this time around he and Daniel Alfredsson, the Senators’ assistant coach, will be on the same team. As a player, Alfredsson never experienced beating the Leafs in a playoff series, which should only add to the team’s motivation.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Green. “It’s going to be an intense series, a lot of emotions, both cities, really everything you want in a playoff series and players are going to love it and fans are going to love it. Looking forward to it.”
Most of the current roster were just children the last time the two teams met in the playoffs but they’ve heard about the rivalry and are excited to start a new chapter for a new generation.
“It’s awesome,” said Drake Batherson. “I mean, we’d be happy with anyone, but I feel like everyone wants the Battle of Ontario and they’re going to get it and it should be a good one.”
Brady Tkachuk has missed the last eight games with an upper-body injury and Green wouldn’t commit one way or another if his captain would play the final game of the regular season on Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes.
“We’ll see Thursday,” said Green. “We weigh every decision on who’s going to play and who’s not going to play and Brady’s no different so we’ll see Thursday if he plays or not.”
Green said he had no issue if Tkachuk didn’t get a game in before the opening-round playoff series starts, which is expected to be Sunday in Toronto.
The Senators have been giving different players a game off in preparation for the post-season battles, but for those still in the lineup the intensity and preparation remain the same.
“You want to win them all,” said Tim Stutzle. “Like I said before, we want to go into the playoffs with a good feeling.”
For others the last few games have been an opportunity to get their game back up to speed. Nick Cousins missed 30 games due to surgery and was thrilled to be able to return to the lineup this past Sunday and get some game action before the playoffs.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2025.
