Meet the New Senators: Warren Foegele

The Ottawa Senators had a quiet 2026 Trade Deadline, bringing in just one new face in Warren Foegele from the Los Angeles Kings for a second-round pick. For a team that was looking for a top-six scoring winger or a top-four defenceman, acquiring a defensive forward with just seven goals and nine points in 47 games this season was underwhelming, to say the least.

However, in Foegele’s debut, the newest Senator looked right at home, scoring a goal and helping Ottawa defeat a Seattle Kraken squad 7-4. Could he be just what the Senators were looking for to make a playoff push? With 20 games left in the 2025-26 season, let’s get to know the Senators’ newest player.

Foegele’s Career So Far

After a monster season with St. Andrew’s College high school team, in which he scored 58 goals and put up 107 points in 52 games, Foegele was drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the third round of the 2014 Draft. A massive growth spurt helped him dominate his competition and put up solid numbers as a freshman at the University of New Hampshire. Still, when he returned as a sophomore, he struggled, leading to a defection to the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Kingston Frontenacs.

It was the perfect opportunity for the late-blooming Foegele to develop into a cerebral power forward with an unceasing motor. When he arrived in Carolina in 2017-18, he quickly won everyone over. “He’s a perfect Carolina Hurricane,” said head coach Rod Brind’Amour to the Score. “He came in ready. He did what we asked him to do in the off-season. He worked hard, got in shape. He earned his spot on the team. He doesn’t cheat his shifts, keeps his mouth shut. He wants to learn, does what you ask of him.”

In three seasons with the Hurricanes, Foegele put up 35 goals and 68 points and was developing into a strong two-way presence and an excellent penalty killer, leading the Edmonton Oilers to trade for him in 2021-22. Over the next three seasons, Foegele took another step forward as a competent middle-six forward, breaking out in 2023-24 with 20 goals and 41 points. He was just as effective in the playoffs, helping the Oilers nearly claim their first Stanley Cup since 1990, but fell just short to the Florida Panthers.

Foegele signed with the Kings, where he continued to assert himself as a skilled middle-six producer. Playing all 82 games, he finished with a career-high 24 goals and 46 points, the fifth-highest total on the team. “Honestly, I think it just comes down to opportunity, and that’s a thing I’ve talked about in the past,” Foegele said. “(Head coach Jim Hiller) has been crucial for that for me, giving me tons of confidence and putting me in roles that maybe in the past I haven’t gotten, and I’m just trying to make the most of that and come to the rink with a good attitude and work hard.”

Unfortunately, this season didn’t start as well as last. The Kings have had one of the worst offences in the NHL, and Foegele’s lack of production put him on the chopping block at the deadline. However, the self-described hockey nerd sees a good opportunity in Ottawa. “The guys here seem great,” Foegele said after joining the team in Seattle, “and just watching some games, I think it’s a style that kind of brings me back to my roots. Kind of similar to playing in Carolina, and kind of fits the mould of the player that I am. Just super excited for this opportunity.”

Foegele’s Role With the Senators

Foegele may not be the top-six forward the Senators were looking for, but there’s definitely an opportunity for Foegele to play some big minutes in Ottawa. In the same way Fabian Zetterlund was expected to complement Tim Stutzle’s speed, the Senators could try Foegele on the top line, given his high-end speed and work ethic. For now, though, he’ll start on the fourth line with Zetterlund and Lars Eller, which has already paid dividends.