Senators Have Already Used More Defencemen Than Any Other NHL Team This Season

The Ottawa Senators have dressed 10 different defensemen in the early part of the 2026-27 season, more than any other NHL team. Despite coping with an extensive wave of injuries on their blue line, Ottawa has managed to claim first place in the Atlantic Division with an early 6-2-0 record.

Ottawa's injury issues began with Artem Zub missing the start of the season, followed by Jake Sanderson suffering a lower-body injury on October 3. Nikolas Matinpalo subsequently exited with an apparent concussion against the New Jersey Devils. While rookies Carter Yakemchuk, Hoyt Stanley, and Jorian Donovan have stepped into the lineup, Zub's recent return against the New York Islanders has begun to ease heavy workloads on players like Thomas Chabot.