Jake Sanderson Is Back and the Senators Are Running Out of Time to Lock Down That Playoff Spot
Ottawa's star defenseman Jake Sanderson skated back into the lineup Saturday against Minnesota after missing over a month with an upper-body injury. The timing? Everything. The Senators are clinging to a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, and every game from here on out is do-or-die territory.
48 Points in 62 Games: Sanderson Is Playing Like a Franchise Anchor
Sanderson has been exactly what Ottawa needed this season. The 23-year-old defenseman leads the entire league at his position with 48 points (11 goals, 37 assists) in 62 games. That's not a fluke number. That's a guy who can control the pace of a game from the back end and contribute offensively in ways that change matchups. When you're fighting for your playoff life, losing that production for 13 games stings.
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👉 Claim Your Free $10 at KalshiThe Montana native was drafted fifth overall by Ottawa in 2020, and he's living up to that billing. In 298 career games heading into Saturday's action, he's already racked up 175 points (36 goals, 139 assists). That's the kind of trajectory that builds a contender.
Ottawa Is Sitting on the Bubble With Zero Margin for Error
Here's the squeeze: the Senators entered Saturday's matchup against the Wild at 39-26-20 with 88 points, holding the second wild-card spot in the East based on tie-breakers. But "holding" is doing a lot of work in that sentence. The Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Philadelphia Flyers all have 88 points too, and they're all hunting that final postseason berth. One mistake, one bad stretch, and Ottawa could be watching the playoffs from home.
Getting Sanderson back in the lineup is massive. The Senators' window doesn't close Saturday, but it's not getting any wider either. Every game counts now, and having your best defenseman healthy for the stretch run? That might be the difference between celebrating in May and cleaning out your locker in April.
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