Jake Sanderson Likely To Play In Saturday Opener After Senators Send Rookie Down To Belleville

The star defenseman’s anticipated return for the season opener sends surprising rookie Hoyt Stanley down to the AHL.

By Steve Warne · Yahoo Sports

Published: Friday, 2 October 2026 at 11:38 PM

Key Things to Know

Defenseman Jake Sanderson is expected to play in the Ottawa Senators' season opener against Toronto.
The Senators cleared a roster spot by sending a rookie defenseman to AHL Belleville.
William Eklund is slated to make his Ottawa Senators debut in the season opener.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson is likely to play in Saturday's season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The encouraging development follows a roster transaction in which the Senators assigned a rookie to the American Hockey League's Belleville Senators to finalize their lineup ahead of the 2026-27 NHL regular season.

Sanderson's expected return provides a significant boost to the Ottawa blue line as head coach Travis Green prepares his team for the rivalry matchup in Toronto. The contest also marks the debut of forward William Eklund in a Senators uniform, while defenseman Thomas Chabot takes over as the club's new team captain.

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Jake Sanderson Likely To Play In Saturday Opener After Senators Send Rookie Down To Belleville

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