Senators Odds: Why Ottawa Can Win the Stanley Cup

Only the New York Rangers had fewer points in the Eastern Conference than the Ottawa Senators on Jan. 24. Counted out by many analysts, the Sens were nine points out of the playoff picture. 

Their turnaround has been one of the season’s most compelling stories. After securing a ticket to the dance, they’re not done yet.

Wouldn’t it be something if the Sens, whose Stanley Cup odds are now among the top 10, bring the Cup back to Canada for the first time in 33 years? 

While that thought will turn the stomachs of Toronto Maple Leafs fans, it’s a notion that is no longer inconceivable. 

Can Senators Win the Stanley Cup? 

The Ottawa Senators’ odds to win the Stanley Cup are off the board.

If I were a head coach of one of the Eastern Conference playoff teams, I would not want to face the Senators in the first round. 

Entrenched in a playoff-like mode for months, the Senators have the fourth-best points percentage since late January (.733). Their 20-6-4 record is bettered only by the Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, and Buffalo Sabres. 

While there are various reasons why the Habs can win it all, the Sens, too, couldn’t be in better shape entering the postseason. They have scored the fourth-most goals per game (3.6) while allowing the fewest (2.37) since Jan. 25. Travis Green’s team also sports the fifth-best penalty kill (83.1%) in that timeframe. 

One of the more worrying stats is their 20th-ranked points percentage in one-goal games (.455). 

However, they’ve more than offset that deficiency with the second-best points percentage (.615) when allowing the first goal. Only the Carolina Hurricanes, which has the shortest hockey odds to win the East at the BetMGM online sportsbook, has been better at overturning deficits recently.   

I’m most impressed by the team’s ability to overcome stiff adversity, which has manifested in various forms. 

Linus Ullmark is working through his mental health challenges, and the Senators didn’t fall off despite having their top defencemen, Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot, sidelined concurrently. 

In persevering through those issues, the Senators have surely become closer. And that togetherness is what makes the Senators such a dangerous proposition. 

Will Linus Ullmark Play His Best in Playoffs? 

If the last couple of weeks are any indication, Ullmark is in excellent shape entering his second playoffs with the Sens. 

He is 5-1-0 with a .926 save percentage and 1.83 goals-against average since the start of April.  

Since returning to the Sens lineup on Jan. 31, he has 14 wins, second behind Andrei Vasilevskiy (15). His .904 save percentage and 2.40 GAA during the torrid run demonstrate why he’s been so successful. 

If he maintains that form in the playoffs, the Sens will quickly elevate from dark horse to Stanley Cup contender. 

Have the Senators Won the Stanley Cup? 

No, the Senators have not won the Stanley Cup since returning to Ottawa in 1993.

When Was the Last Time a Canadian Team Won the Stanley Cup? 

The Canadiens in 1993 were the last Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup. 

Senators’ Playoff History