NHL Game Preview: San Jose Sharks (5-4-1) vs. Ottawa Senators (6-3-0)

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Venue: Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, Ontario
Scheduled puck drop is set for 7:00 PM ET
TV/Streaming: NBCSCA, TSN5, RDS, ESPN+

This interconference matchup pits a young, competitive Sharks squad on a long road trip against a solid Atlantic Division Senators team that is playing well at home. Ottawa holds a slight edge in the standings and recent form, while San Jose brings high-end skill led by Macklin Celebrini.

Current Player Rosters

San Jose Sharks (coach Ryan Warsofsky):
Forwards: Macklin Celebrini (leading scorer with strong multi-point games, including recent OT heroics), Will Smith, Ivar Stenberg, Tyler Toffoli, Mason Marchment, Igor Chernyshov, Michael Misa, Kiefer Sherwood, Collin Graf, Barclay Goodrow, Zack Ostapchuk, and depth options.
Defense: Jacob Trouba, Darnell Nurse, Dmitry Orlov, Michael Kesselring, Sam Dickinson, Luca Cagnoni, Nolan Allan.
Goaltending: Yaroslav Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic (Nedeljkovic has posted stronger numbers early).

Ottawa Senators (coach Travis Green):
Forwards: Tim Stützle (top producer), Drake Batherson, Claude Giroux, Dylan Cozens, Shane Pinto, Ridly Greig, Fabian Zetterlund, Michael Amadio, Warren Foegele, and supporting depth.
Defense: Jake Sanderson (recently returned and productive), Artem Zub, Tyler Kleven, Jordan Spence, Carter Yakemchuk, Nikolas Matinpalo.
Goaltending: Linus Ullmark and Samuel Ersson (Ullmark has been strong when available). Rosters reflect current active contributors based on season stats and recent games; exact game-day lines may adjust.

Injury Reports

Sharks:

Alexander Wennberg (C) — Day-to-day (upper body; missed recent game).

Quentin Musty (LW) and Kyle Keyser (G) — Out longer-term (upper body, IR/non-roster).
Other depth pieces have rotated or been managed, but the core is largely available.

Senators:

Thomas Chabot (D, captain) — Out 1-2 weeks (upper body).

William Eklund (LW) — Out longer-term (ankle, 10-12 weeks).

Kurtis MacDermid (LW) — Out (upper body, IR).
Jake Sanderson recently returned and contributed immediately.

Both clubs are dealing with notable absences on the blue line (Ottawa) and up the middle (San Jose), which could impact matchups and special teams.

Key Player vs. Player Matchups

Macklin Celebrini vs. Tim Stützle: Two dynamic young centers. Celebrini has been San Jose’s offensive engine (multi-point nights and OT heroics). Stützle drives Ottawa’s attack. This is a high-skill, high-pace battle that could dictate possession.

Sharks top line (Celebrini/Smith/Chernyshov or similar) vs. Senators top defensive pair (Sanderson/Zub): Ottawa’s reintegrated Sanderson will be tasked with containing Celebrini’s speed and playmaking.

Jacob Trouba / Darnell Nurse vs. Ottawa’s skilled forwards (Batherson, Giroux, Cozens): Physical, shutdown-oriented D against Ottawa’s secondary scoring.

Goaltending: Likely Nedeljkovic or Askarov for San Jose versus Ullmark (or Ersson) for Ottawa. Early-season save percentages favor the more consistent options on each side. Special teams will matter—Sharks have a stronger PP percentage so far; both teams’ PKs are mid-pack.

Recent Team Forms

Sharks: 5-4-1 overall. Coming off a dramatic 4-3 OT road win at Montreal (Celebrini two goals including the winner) after a loss at Toronto. They have shown resilience with several OT/SO results and are competitive despite defensive growing pains (higher GA/GP). Road record is mixed but they have picked up points. Last 10 reflects the overall mark.

Senators: Strong 6-3-0 (or updated near 7-3-0 after recent results). Fresh off a convincing home win over Florida. Solid home form and better defensive metrics (lower GA/GP). They have mixed in some losses but generally control play better at Canadian Tire Centre. Sanderson’s return boosts the blue line. Schedule note: Ottawa played the previous night; San Jose has a bit more rest after their Tuesday game.

Series History

First meeting of the 2026-27 season (0-0). Recent head-to-head has favored Ottawa in several encounters (e.g., wins in prior seasons including higher-scoring games). Historical series is competitive but Ottawa has often held the edge in recent years, particularly at home. Expect a physical, structured contest typical of these interconference games.

Betting Trends

Senators have been stronger ATS at home early; Sharks competitive as underdogs and in close games (many OT results). Totals have been mixed for both. Ottawa’s defensive structure and home ice versus San Jose’s higher-event style and road trip fatigue factors into the pricing.

Game Odds

San Jose Sharks                6.5

Ottawa Senators              – 133

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, October 21, 2026

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