Thomas Chabot must elevate without Jake Sanderson for Senators to make playoffs — a definitive test for Ottawa’s No. 1

Missing a cornerstone like Jake Sanderson forces lineups to change and responsibilities to grow; thomas chabot now faces a suddenly expanded mandate. With Sanderson out week-to-week with an upper-body issue and the Senators chasing a playoff berth, Chabot’s reassumption of heavy minutes is both tactical necessity and the season’s central narrative for Ottawa.

NHL status and immediate context

Jake Sanderson is week-to-week with an upper-body injury, and Jimmy Murphy, host of The Sick Podcast, said Sanderson is dealing with a separated shoulder. Nikolas Matinpalo replaced Sanderson in the lineup on Monday, and Artem Zub logged time beside Thomas Chabot in that game. Sanderson leads Ottawa defensemen in goals, assists, points and time on ice per game (24: 49) in 62 appearances this season. The Senators (32-22-9) trail the Boston club by three points for the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot; that playoff picture frames the urgency behind Chabot’s role expansion.

Thomas Chabot’s return to a No. 1 workload

For years Chabot served as Ottawa’s top defenseman before Jake Sanderson’s arrival in 2022 shifted him into a second-pair role. That change coincided with a reduction in ice time: Chabot is now averaging his lowest minutes per game since his rookie season. Yet, paradoxically, the lower workload coincided with some of his most efficient offensive production — his current points-per-game rate ranks second-highest in his career.

Thomas Chabot, defenseman, Ottawa Senators, has voiced receptiveness to a larger role. “You ask any hockey player if they want to play 30 minutes. I don’t think any of us will say no, right?” he said last week. He also acknowledged that Sanderson’s presence limited his offensive looks, but added that finding ways to contribute remained the priority. Those remarks underline a player psychologically prepared for an uptick in responsibility even as ice-time increases present new defensive demands.

Deep analysis: can Chabot bridge the gap Sanderson leaves?

Chabot’s recent seasons show an evolution: he has improved defensive metrics under coach Travis Green, who described an early impression that Chabot had to alter his game. “When I became the coach of the Senators, Chabot probably had a little bit of a stigma around him, ” said Travis Green, head coach, Ottawa Senators. Green explained that Chabot adjusted by trimming his mobility-based play and adopting a more stop-and-start approach to limit defensive exposure. That tactical change correlates with measurable defensive improvement, and it is the foundation upon which Ottawa must rely now.

But the analytics and coaching adjustments that served Chabot in a second-pair role may not map directly to a nightly 24-plus-minute workload. Earlier in his career Chabot averaged over 26 minutes per game for three straight seasons; he described playing 21–23 minutes per night as conducive to joining rushes while still focusing on defense. The present test is different: Chabot must combine offensive contributions with a sustained defensive presence against top competition. Artem Zub’s presence alongside him in the most recent game provided an experienced partner able to compensate for known weaknesses, yet that pairing will be repeatedly tested until Sanderson’s return.

Tim Stutzle, forward, Ottawa Senators, offered a teammate’s perspective: “Chabby is a really confident guy as well. He knows how good he is… I think he’s been really stepping up his defensive game. ” Such internal confidence and buy-in from teammates matter when a player’s role expands from sheltered minutes to a more punishing assignment chart.

Playoff implications and a forward-looking question

With the Senators chasing a wild-card position, the short-term standings consequences are clear. Sanderson’s production and average time on ice underline the gap that must be temporarily filled. The team’s “next man up” approach, cited by their coach, has immediate strategic consequences: usage patterns, matchup decisions and penalty-killing alignments will all tilt toward limiting exposure while maximizing Chabot’s strengths.

Ultimately, thomas chabot’s ability to sustain defensive reliability while reclaiming heavier minutes will shape Ottawa’s late-season trajectory. Can Chabot translate improved metrics from a second-pair role into the steadiness required of a franchise No. 1 over an extended stretch? The answer will determine whether the Senators’ playoff push stalls or gains the traction they need.