Ottawa Senators Defense Depth Chart: 2025 Offseason

Sanderson played very well alongside Artem Zub, but when paired with Travis Hamonic, he struggled. Zub and Sanderson have become one of the best pairings the Senators have seen since Erik Karlsson and Marc Methot, and with Sanderson just turning 23 years old, there is a very bright future ahead of him, and potentially even a Norris Trophy or two. With 57 points, his offense is clearly developing well in the NHL, but his shut-down ability is the stronger part of his game.

Artem Zub – First Pair, Right Defense

After being signed out of Russia, not many knew what to expect from Zub. He spent the first part of his first NHL season as a healthy scratch, but since becoming a regular in the lineup, he has proven himself to be a very valuable top-four defensive defenseman.

He has been an anchor to any pair he has played on, regardless of who his partner was. While there have been some injuries and dips in performances, overall, he has been a very consistent and reliable defenseman.

Thomas Chabot – Second Pair, Left Defense

Thomas Chabot had a really strong bounce-back season alongside Jensen this past season. His 45 points were the second-highest total of his career, and that was without top-unit power play time. His defensive responsibility improved last season, and importantly, he was able to stay healthy.

At one point, it looked like Chabot was on track to be an elite point-producing defenseman. While the lack of talent around him may have hindered some of those capabilities over the past seven seasons, he showed this year that with a stable defense partner, he is able to get back into that kind of game and be a reliable star defenseman.

Nick Jensen – Second Pair, Right Defense

After being acquired in the Jakob Chychrun deal, Jensen was acquired to be a stabilizing defenseman to partner with Chabot. It is no coincidence that Chabot was able to put together one of his strongest two-way seasons, and Jensen played very well in his own regard, too.

Near the end of the season, he was dealing with some injuries, and that led into the playoffs, too. While his performances weren’t as good as we had seen throughout the rest of the season, he was still a steady option. Heading into the 2025 offseason, it was announced that he underwent hip surgery, and his timeline for a return could eat into the 2025-26 season.

Tyler Kleven – Third Pair, Left Defense

Tyler Kleven had a big breakout during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, where he showed just how impactful he could be. While he can move the puck well, that isn’t the highlight of his game. He plays a perfect shut-down role on the third pair, and with his defensive abilities and physicality, he can be relied upon heavily.

Jordan Spence – Third Pair, Right Defense

With Jensen’s health undetermined, at least to start, it was critical that general manager Steve Staios brought in another right-shot defenseman, and the ability to buy low on Jordan Spence made for a perfect match. While Spence is looking for a bigger role than he was given with the Los Angeles Kings, there is a chance that when the group is healthy, he remains on the third pair with Kleven.

Spence has great puck-moving abilities and would be a great partner for a defenseman like Kleven, but he also has the talent to establish himself as a true top-four defenseman. Spence has some excellent analytical stats, and while in a limited role, wasn’t able to put up the elite numbers, he could earn himself a chance if he can find the right fit alongside Sanderson or Chabot.

Depth Defensemen (AHL/ECHL)

Nikolas Matinpalo – Right Defense

After joining the Senators’ roster halfway through the season, Nikolas Matinpalo made for a very steady third-pair option for the Senators. He had proven that he deserves a spot on the team, and like Spence, if Jensen is to miss some time, it will be Matinpalo that gets to spend more time in the lineup. He earned a two-year extension with the Senators and could look to continue his very strong developmental path.

Donovan Sebrango – Left Defense

After being brought in from the Alex DeBrincat trade, The Hockey Writers’ Devin Little shared, “Sebrango is a two-way defenseman that plays a mature, safe game. He was one of those COVID exception players who jumped to the AHL at 19 years old, and he looked really good right away. Probably a bottom pairing guy in the NHL, but one you can rely on.”. Since that trade, Sebrango had continued a steady path in the American Hockey League (AHL), and is now going to be looked at as the Senators’ next-man-up for the left side of the defense.

Carter Yakemchuk – Right Defense

In terms of value and organizational ranking, Carter Yakemchuk is a lot higher than this, but for this season, he is likely the second option for a right-shot call-up. He has a ton of raw talent, scoring over 45 goals in the Western Hockey League (WHL) over the past two seasons. His offense wasn’t as strong in his post-draft season, which is sometimes a concern, but he sacrificed the offensive dominance to work on his defensive skills, which certainly improved over the course of the season. He has the size to complement a very strong two-way game, too.

Lassi Thomson – Right Defense

After a brief hiatus from North America, Lassi Thomson has returned to the Senators organization after playing a season in Finland, where he posted some pretty strong numbers. He played well in the pro organization shortly after being drafted, but seemed to plateau. But after a season abroad, the hope is that Thomson can get some confidence and carry it into the 2025-26 season and play as a very strong depth option.

Tomas Hamara – Left Defense

Tomas Hamara had a huge breakout season with the Brantford Bulldogs in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this season, scoring 55 points in 58 games. Hamara is joining the Senators’ AHL affiliate this season, and while the pace of play will take some adjusting, being able to build off of that strong season could put Hamara in a great position to develop well.

Matthew Andonovski – Left Defense

Matthew Andonovski has some excellent shut-down abilities. He isn’t a producer, but look at Kleven as the kind of defenseman Andonovski could be. He will have to make some big adjustments and will look to further develop his skills in the AHL.

Jorian Donovan – Left Defense

There is some hope that Jorian Donovan can build off of his rookie season in the AHL and get more comfortable with the defending at that level. He is a smooth-skating, offensively promising defenseman, but struggled in his first pro season.

Maxence Guenette – Right Defense

It seems like Maxence Guenette has been the next-man-up for a long time now, but hasn’t truly gotten his shot yet. He is a good right-shot defenseman who is stable in every role. He has four full AHL seasons under his belt, and will make a push to be on the NHL roster again, but there is a lot of competition in the way.

Defensive Prospects – Outside Pro Organization

Logan Hensler – Right Defense

The most recent first-round pick by the Senators, Logan Hensler, has a lot of the skills needed to be a very good NHL defenseman. His defending is strong, he has a good stick, and while the points aren’t stacking up for Hensler yet, he does have good puck-moving skills. One of his strongest assets is his skating and gap control. He is great at making sure that he is in the best position possible to make the smart play.

Filip Nordberg – Left Defense

While it is unclear where Filip Nordberg is playing for this season, he has two USHL seasons under his belt, and has taken some big steps in the right direction. While he doesn’t have one skill that stands out above the rest, he is a pretty steady defenseman. An NHL future looks unlikely at this point, but if he can find a way to utilize his 6-foot-6 frame more effectively and continue working on his defending, he could mold into a depth option.

Theo Wallberg – Left Defense

Another big-bodied defenseman the Senators have drafted, Theo Wallberg, has played two NCAA seasons and hasn’t yet broken through as a top option for Ohio State. He is another 6-foot-5 defenseman who may not be able to develop the skills needed to play NHL minutes, but like Nordberg, there is still a path to becoming a depth option.

Gabriel Eliasson – Left Defense

What? Another massive left-shot defensive prospect? This one is bigger than the rest at 6-foot-7, Gabriel Eliasson has been developing very well, and could have a look at some big AHL minutes quicker than the others on the list. He isn’t much of a point-producer, but has some very promising defensive skill and can use his size to play very physically.

Hoyt Stanley – Right Defense

Hoyt Stanley is set to return for a third season at Cornell Univ. this season, and through his time there, he has continued his strong defensive development. He has great skating, reads plays well, and if he can find a way to get his offensive game to start to click, he could turn into a promising prospect.

Eerik Walenius – Left Defense

Eerik Walenius is making the jump from the Finnish U20 league to the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and will be joining the Moncton Wildcats. He is a pretty raw prospect, and there will be more opportunity to see what he is capable of with the Wildcats, who have high aspirations this season.