Thomas Chabot named Ottawa Senators captain for 2026-27 season

Thomas Chabot has been named captain of the Ottawa Senators, becoming the franchise's 11th captain and first francophone to hold the role. The 29-year-old defenceman made the announcement Tuesday at Canadian Tire Centre as the team prepares for the 2026-27 season.

Chabot has been with the Senators since being drafted in 2015 and has spent his entire NHL career in Ottawa. He has played 569 games for the team — the most on the roster — and recorded 78 goals and assists. He helped lead the Senators to the playoffs in each of the past two springs, though his postseason production was limited to one goal and three assists across 10 games.

"Ottawa feels like home. It really does. We bought our first house here. We started our family here. Becoming captain here is a huge honour," Chabot said during Tuesday's announcement. His wife gave birth to their daughter a few days before the captaincy was announced.

Steve Staios, Senators president of hockey operations and general manager, said Chabot embodies the qualities needed for the role. "Thomas exemplifies everything we want in an Ottawa Senator. He's committed to the city and to the organization. He puts the team first," Staios said.

Chabot replaces Brady Tkachuk, who held the captain's "C" for five seasons before being traded to the Florida Panthers on June 21 in exchange for four draft picks. The Senators' leadership group now includes alternates Claude Giroux, Jake Sanderson, and Tim Stützle.

Chabot had worn an alternate "A" since 2020-21 and was among the final candidates for the captaincy, alongside Sanderson and Stützle. He was passed over for the role in 2021. The Senators went three seasons without a captain after Erik Karlsson was traded to San Jose in 2018.

The Senators open their 2026-27 season on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto against the Maple Leafs, with puck drop at 7 p.m. The game broadcasts on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.