The Ottawa Senators (14-13-4), scrapping for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, head northwest to challenge the Winnipeg Jets (15-15-1) in a Central Division crossover matchup on Monday night. Both teams enter on the heels of frustrating losses—Ottawa blowing a third-period lead against Toronto, Winnipeg felled by a last-second goal in Colorado—making this a rebound opportunity at Canada Life Centre. With the Senators’ high-octane offense (3.28 GF/GP, 7th) testing Winnipeg’s stingy penalty kill (86.7%, 3rd), and key absences like Tim Stützle and Kyle Connor, expect a structured, low-event game decided by special teams and goaltending. Jets captain Adam Lowry’s faceoff prowess could control tempo, while Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk brings the snarl. Faceoff is at 8:00 p.m. ET, airing on TSN5, Sportsnet Prairie, and NHL Network.
Venue Location
Canada Life Centre
300 Portage Ave
Winnipeg, MB R3C 2R2, Canada
The Jets’ home since 2011 (formerly MTS Centre), this 15,321-seat rink in downtown Winnipeg is a frozen fortress, where the Jets hold a 9-6-1 home record. The chilly Manitoba air (often sub-zero outside) favors grind-it-out hockey, with opponents held to 2.4 goals per game here amid raucous “True North” crowds.
Puckdrop: 8:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. CT / 5:00 p.m. PT)
Broadcast: TSN5 (Senators local), Sportsnet Prairie (Jets local), NHL Network (national), TVAS (French)
Injury Report
Injuries have hit both lineups, with Ottawa’s top-six forward group thinned and Winnipeg missing offensive spark. Official NHL report (as of 5 p.m. ET):
| Team | Player | Status | Injury/Reason | Estimated Return |
| Senators | Tim Stützle | Out | Lower Body (IR) | Dec 22 |
| Josh Norris | Out | Knee (LTIR) | March 2026 | |
| Jake Sanderson | Questionable | Upper Body | Day-to-Day | |
| Zack MacEwen | Out | Suspension (3 games) | Dec 18 | |
| Jets | Kyle Connor | Out | Knee (IR) | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Gabriel Vilardi | Out | Lower Body (IR) | Dec 28 | |
| Dylan Samberg | Probable | Lower Body | Day-to-Day | |
| Axel Jonsson-Fjallby | Out | G League equivalent (AHL) | TBD |
Stützle’s absence (18G, 25A) burdens Drake Batherson; Connor’s out (team-high 22G) shifts Jets’ scoring to Nikolaj Ehlers. Sanderson’s status is pivotal for Ottawa’s blue-line mobility.
Key Player Matchups
Without Stützle and Connor, this pits Ottawa’s depth scorers against Winnipeg’s shutdown forwards. Jets’ 52.1% Corsi edges Ottawa’s 49.8%, but Senators’ PP (23.4%, 5th) tests Winnipeg’s elite PK.
Brady Tkachuk (OTT LW) vs. Adam Lowry (WPG C)
Tkachuk (15G, 18A; 33P, +2; 1.4 PIM/GP) is Ottawa’s heart, grinding in corners and drawing penalties. Lowry (6G, 12A; 58.3% FO, +8) anchors the third line with physicality (1.2 HIT/GP). Edge: Tkachuk—his 4 GWG exploit Lowry’s positioning; expect 0.5+ points in a rivalry-lite snarl.
Drake Batherson (OTT RW) vs. Mark Scheifele (WPG C)
Batherson (14G, 20A; 34P, stepping up sans Stützle) snipes on the rush (11.2% S%). Scheifele (12G, 19A; 31P, 51.7% FO) drives the top line with vision. Edge: Scheifele—his 8 PPA at home neutralizes Batherson’s speed; Scheifele’s +10 rating shines in low-scoring tilts.
Claude Giroux (OTT C) vs. Nikolaj Ehlers (WPG LW)
Giroux (10G, 16A; 26P, 52.9% FO) vets with playmaking, facing Ehlers (16G, 14A; 30P, 13.5% S%). Edge: Ehlers—Connor’s out boosts his usage (18:45 TOI/G); Ehlers’ 5 road GWG overwhelm Giroux’s age (37).
Linus Ullmark (OTT G) vs. Connor Hellebuyck (WPG G)
Ullmark (9-7-2, 2.67 GAA, .908 SV%) vs. Hellebuyck (Vezina favorite: 10-9-1, 2.18 GAA, .925 SV%). Edge: Hellebuyck—his .940 SV% vs. East teams; 4 shutouts already.
Bonus Prop Watch: Tkachuk Over 0.5 Points (-130) and Scheifele Over 0.5 Assists (+110) hit in 68% of December games.
Team Records
| Team | Overall Record | Home/Away | Division | Conference | Streak |
| Senators | 14-13-4 | 8-6-2 Home / 6-7-2 Away | 5th Atlantic | 7th East | L1 |
| Jets | 15-15-1 | 9-6-1 Home / 6-9-0 Away | 5th Central | 9th West | L1 |
Ottawa ranks 7th in GF/GP (3.28) but 22nd in GA (3.24). Winnipeg is 12th defensively (2.76 GA/GP) but 20th offensively (2.92 GF/GP) without Connor.
Recent Team Forms
Both squads are middling, with Ottawa’s losses tied to PK woes (78.3%, 28th) and Winnipeg’s to offensive droughts (2.4 GF last three). Jets win 60% of faceoffs; Senators force 14.2 TOs/GP.
Ottawa Senators Last 5 Games (2-3-0):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Stats |
| Dec 14 | vs. TOR | L 3-4 | Batherson: 1G, 1A; 3/5 PK |
| Dec 10 | @ MTL | W 5-2 | Tkachuk: 2G; Ullmark: 28 SV |
| Dec 8 | vs. DET | L 2-3 OT | Giroux: GWG attempt; 31 SOG |
| Dec 6 | @ BOS | W 4-3 | Batherson: 2A; 2/3 PP |
| Dec 4 | vs. FLA | L 1-2 | Ullmark: 35 SV; Low-event |
Winnipeg Jets Last 5 Games (2-3-0):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Stats |
| Dec 13 | @ COL | L 3-4 | Ehlers: 1G; Hellebuyck: 32 SV |
| Dec 10 | vs. MIN | W 3-1 | Scheifele: 1G, 1A; Shutout bid |
| Dec 8 | @ NSH | L 2-3 | Lowry: 1G; 52% Corsi |
| Dec 6 | vs. VAN | W 4-2 | Ehlers: 2G; 4/4 PK |
| Dec 3 | @ CGY | L 1-2 SO | Hellebuyck: 29 SV; Shootout loss |
Averages: Senators 3.2 GF/GP (last five), Jets 2.6 GA/GP at home.
Series History
All-time, Winnipeg leads 42-35-4-3 (54.5% win rate), including a 4-2 playoff series win in 2020 (Qualifiers). Since 2022, Jets are 5-3 vs. Ottawa, controlling neutral zones.
This season: Jets lead 1-0
Oct 22, 2025: Jets 4-2 @ Senators (Scheifele: 2A; Hellebuyck: 24 SV)
Winnipeg is 6-2 SU in last 8 home vs. Ottawa; games average 5.8 total goals (Under in 6 of 8).
Betting Trends
Key Trends:
Senators: 12-15-4 ATS overall; 5-8 ATS away; Under in 9/15 road (avg. 5.4 goals); 4-6 SU last 10.
Jets: 13-15-1 ATS; 9-6-1 SU home; Over in 4/10 home; 7-3 SU vs. East since 2024.
Head-to-Head: Under in 6/8; Jets 5-1 SU last 6 home.
Game Odds
Ottawa Senators 5.5
Winnipeg Jets – 130
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, December 14, 2025
