Senators return to Canadian Tire Centre for home opener against Philadelphia Flyers
The team takes on the Flyers on Thursday, October 8, after three games in four days to start the season. New fan spaces won't be ready due to construction delays.
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The Ottawa Senators are returning home Thursday, October 8, to face the Philadelphia Flyers after opening the season on the road with three games in four days.
Player arrivals begin at 3 p.m. The last Senators game at Canadian Tire Centre was a playoff loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round last spring. The roster has changed significantly since April 25.
Chris Phillips, the team's vice-president of business operations and a former Senators defenceman with 1,179 franchise-record games, led off-season rink upgrades. "It's the excitement of another year," Phillips told the Ottawa Citizen on Wednesday. "The start is always exciting. Your goal is to have a great season and this is where it starts. It's not the first game of the year, but it's the first in front of your fans and that's special."
Two renovations—a Top Shelf Deck on the 300 level with 350-person capacity and a rebranded Bert's Bar—won't be ready for Thursday's opener due to construction delays that began August 30 after a Luke Bryan concert. Phillips said the team did not want to partially open spaces before they were finished. "We didn't want to dip our toe in and open an area that isn't finished. You only get one chance to make a first impression. We're going to be at this rink for a number of years, and we want to make sure when we open the doors it's the best fan experience possible." The club expects the Top Shelf Deck to be complete next month.
The Senators plan an eventual move to LeBreton Flats but will remain in Kanata for an extended period. Phillips noted that gathering spaces have become popular in the NFL, Major League Baseball, NBA, and CFL. "We're always following what teams in other leagues are doing to improve that fan experience. We're always trying to improve and we're never going to be satisfied. You see a lot more social spaces in the bowl at all levels and different price points to make it accessible for everybody. The upper deck will give you a little bit of that tailgate feel."
The facts
When is the Senators' home opener?
The Ottawa Senators play the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at Canadian Tire Centre.
Why aren't new fan spaces ready for the home opener?
Construction delays that began after a Luke Bryan concert on August 30 have prevented the Top Shelf Deck and rebranded Bert's Bar from being completed in time for Thursday's game.
