3 turning points that derailed Ottawa Senators’ 2024-25 season ft. facing Maple Leafs in playoffs

The Ottawa Senators advanced their rebuild to the next stage by claiming to first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. The hiring of Travis Green provided the spark the Sens needed to get back into contention.

While the season was wildly successful, it had a disappointing ending as the Ottawa Senators ultimately fell to their provincial rivals in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.

So, it’s worth taking a look at the three turning points that derailed the Ottawa Senators’ 2024-25 season.

#3 Missing out on third place in Atlantic Division

The Ottawa Senators ended the season with 97 points, one behind the eventual Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers. That situation left the Senators in the first wild card spot, while the Panthers grabbed the third spot in the division.

The Panthers met the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round, taking the series in five games. So, it’s worth considering that, if the Senators had won one more game, they could have leapfrogged the Panthers for third spot in the Atlantic.

If that had been the case, the Senators could have faced the Lightning in the first round, potentially beating them and moving on to the second round.

#2 Back-to-back OT losses against Maple Leafs

Since the Ottawa Senators finished in the first wild card spot, they faced the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. That situation set up a rekindling of the Battle of Ontario for the first time since 2004.

Like 2004, the Senators fell to the Maple Leafs. But the Senators were hardly blown out of the water. Except for the 6-2 Game 1 loss, all the other games in the series were much closer.

Games 2 and 3 went into overtime, with both games ending in 3-2 losses for the Senators. Instead of going down 3-0 after Game 3, the Sens could have taken a 2-1 series lead. As a matter of fact, had the Senators won Games 2 and 3, they could have closed out the series in five games.

The Senators managed to push the series to six games, but ran out of runaway in the final match.

#1 Facing Maple Leafs in opening round

The Senators faced their archrivals, seemingly unable to overcome the psychological barrier that impeded them from moving on.

The Ottawa Senators played a tough series, but somehow couldn’t capitalize on their chances. Of course, the series was close, and yes, it could have gone either way. But the fact remains that the Senators could not exorcise their demons.

One could argue that, if the Senators had faced any other club, like the Lightning, the outcome could have been much different. Unfortunately for Ottawa, they faced Toronto, and the result was painfully familiar.

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Edited by Nestor Quixtan