FIVE TAKEAWAYS: Steve Staios' Mid-Season Update

With the Ottawa Senators reaching the halfway mark of the 2025-26 NHL season, President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Steve Staios met with the media before the team's morning skate ahead of tonight's game against the Winnipeg Jets.

Staios addressed hot topics including the team taking the next step, continued goaltending and penalty kill struggles, and the current NHL trade market in the 25-minute presser.

Here are five key takeaways Senators fans need to know.

TAKING THE NEXT STEP

Following their first playoff berth since 2017, expectations are higher this year for the Ottawa Senators, not only from the fanbase but also from the organization. By all indications, this team has underperformed, at least when it comes to what is most important: getting results.

"We talked about taking a step last year, we want to take another step this year. We’re building towards wanting to be a contending team, and this is certainly part of the process. Expectations are certainly different this year," said Staios. "We’re not where we want to be from a point total perspective, but we’re not far off."

Last year, the Senators sat 19-17-3 at the 39-game mark. That was good enough for one-point back of the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. At the same point this season, the Senators are 19-15-5. They have two more points, but sit second-last in the East.

Some of this can be attributed to the level of parity in the NHL, specifically in the Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division. There isn't a single team in the East with a sub-.500 record.

This means that every game matters that much more, and the Senators have simply found ways to lose points on multiple occasions this season. The wins need to come more consistently if they want to remain in the hunt for a playoff spot.

“We'll content when we're ready to contend, and we're continuing to build towards that,” said Staios.

TRADE MARKET

Aside from every win being that much more important, the level of parity this season also leads to a very different trade market than we'd typically see at this point on the calendar.

With four teams below .500; Winnipeg, Vancouver, Chicago, and St. Louis, there are less teams willing to sell. You could include a Calgary or Nashville on that list, but there are fewer teams willing to sell off assets than there usually would be.

“Typically, when you see a little bit more of a divide, you see you have teams that are looking to recoup some assets and move on," said Staios. "Even heading into the holiday freeze, there had been some dialogue, but I sense that a lot of teams are sort of just in the middle right now, trying to evaluate where their group is.”

It takes two to tango, and less sellers mean the prices only go up for premium assets.

Ideally, the Senators would probably like to add a top-four right-shot defencemen and a middle-six winger. But let's remember, no one saw the Dylan Cozens or Fabian Zetterlund deals coming at last year's trade deadline.

Unlike his predecessor, Staios tends to keep his cards close to his chest.

GOALTENDING SITUATION

Linus Ullmark remains on a leave of absence from the team for personal reasons, and Staios did not comment on any timeline for his return.

The Senators' .873 team SV% ranks last in the NHL. "If the goaltenders were in here right now, they would be honest that they haven't played to expectations," said Staios. "It wasn't the best of starts for them, but it has stabilized."

Staios was vocal in his confidence for Leevi Meriläinen, Hunter Shepard, and Mads Søgaard to carry the load in Ullmark's absence. "They're all good goaltenders," he noted.

But you have to think, that if this continues to be an area of concern and if their $8-Million starter isn't back soon, the team may be forced to consider making a move.

PENALTY KILL STRUGGLES

Aside from goaltending, if the Senators have struggled in any area this season, it's on the penalty kill. Their 76.1% is ranked second-last in the NHL, behind only the Seattle Kraken. That would stand as the worst single-season percentage in franchise history.

"We live in reality, our penalty kill hasn’t been good enough,” admitted Staios. "I’m hoping with some of the adjustments that we’ve made and some confidence, we get on the other side of it.”

Despite the shorthanded struggles, Staios gave his full vote of confidence to the coaching staff to improve. “They recognize that it’s an area that needs to improve. There’s no panic in it, we go through a process where to try and find ways. Personnel, who’s playing where, defence pairings and how we deploy them. All of that comes into play," said Staios.

CARTER YAKEMCHUK

Senators' top prospect Carter Yakemchuk has missed three-weeks, after taking a hit from Bridgeport Islanders forward Hunter Drew on Dec. 14.

According to Staios, had this not happened, the Senators 2024 seventh-overall pick may have made his NHL debut. "We probably would have seen him up by now," said Staios.

The Senators meet the Jets tonight, check out OSN's game day preview before puck drop at 7:00 p.m.