Offseason Landscape
The Ottawa Senators finished the 2025‑26 campaign with 99 points and a playoff berth, while the Toronto Maple Leafs slipped to 78 points and missed the postseason.
Ottawa’s Reinforcements
Ottawa’s offseason was marked by the trade request of captain Brady Tkachuk, who ultimately moved to Florida, and the subsequent arrival of forwards William Eklund and Andre Burakovsky, as well as goaltender Samuel Ersson, to shore up the roster. The club also retained key veterans such as Claude Giroux, Nick Cousins and Jordan Spence, preserving much of the talent that drove their strong finish.
Toronto’s Overhaul
Toronto responded with a sweeping revision of its hockey operations, appointing Jim Hiller as head coach and overhauling the roster through trades that brought in Darren Raddysh, Nick Paul and Emil Andrae, and by selecting Gavin McKenna first overall in the draft. Free‑agent signings added Sergei Bobrovsky, Jack Roslovic, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger, Brandon Duhaime and Zack MacEwen, while the organization brought in Daniel Alfredsson as an associate coach.
Although the Leafs’ activity appears more extensive on paper, the article argues that Ottawa’s deeper core and the strategic additions made during the offseason give them the edge heading into the 2026‑27 season.