How will Senators' power play perform after losing Alfredsson, Tkachuk?

Ridly Greig, left, and Jake Sanderson are among the Senators who received their first NHL playoff experience a year ago. Now they're back for more. Photo by Rich Graessle /Getty Images

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A hot power play will pretty much guarantee you a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

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In 2025-26, nine of the top 10 teams in PP% made it to the dance. That’s hard to argue with.

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The Ottawa Senators were eighth in the National Hockey League on the man advantage with a 24 percent conversion rate. Combined with much improved 5-on-5 scoring — ninth best with 179 goals — the Senators’ power play, while painfully inconsistent at times, helped them overcome downright dreadful goaltending for more than half the season and remain in the hunt for a wild card spot.

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However, the Sens have their work cut out for them in 2026-27.

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The coach largely responsible for power-play tactics, Daniel Alfredsson, has taken a job with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The player who has the fifth-most power-play goals in franchise history, Brady Tkachuk, fled for Florida.

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The personnel will change and, naturally, the approach will, too.

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So, how will it all look this upcoming season?

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The first unit

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Quarterback: Jake Sanderson

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Flanks: William Eklund, Tim Stutzle

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Down low: Drake Batherson

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Bumper: Dylan Cozens

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Unlike the even strength forward lines and defence pairings, there’s no sense in spreading the love on the power play. Load it up. You won’t see Mike Babcock splitting up Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard on the power play (though, he’s done crazier things).

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Sanderson’s ability to walk the blue line improves with each season; he’s on the precipice of becoming truly elite in that category. His hockey IQ shines with shot selection, knowing when to wind up for a one-timer, move in for a snipe, or use traffic in front to flutter a wrister past a blinded goaltender.

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If Stutzle and Eklund can build chemistry together quickly, the top unit could become seriously dangerous. On the flanks in particular, Stutzle’s passing ability has mostly been unmatched, so Sanderson’s most popular decision at the point is to pass it off when No. 18 curls at the point and begins skating downhill. Eklund’s mobility and skill with the puck could allow the Senators to create more disruption in the defending team’s box, opening up more lanes for the quarterback to walk into one or the bumper to get a quick one-timer off.

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As for Batherson and Cozens, they’re exactly where they need to be. Batherson is nasty in tight with surgical saucer passes for tap-ins, and he is one of the few players who never shied away from the front of the net last season, having several point shots go in off of his body. And Cozens’ strong base and powerful shot makes him the perfect candidate for the middle of the ice, where he’ll fight with four defenders to get open.

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The second unit

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Quarterback: Carter Yakemchuk

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Flanks: Claude Giroux, Andre Burakovsky

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Down low: Stephen Halliday

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Bumper: Shane Pinto