Where do the Ottawa Senators go from here?

The Ottawa Senators had something to celebrate on Monday night. 

Claude Giroux scored his 1,000th career NHL point, kicking off a bench-clearing celebration. 

It was a feel-good moment near the end of an odd season in Ottawa. 

The Senators are on the rise. They flirted with postseason qualification, landed one of the biggest pieces at the NHL Trade Deadline – at good price – and seem to have some positive vibes going with new ownership around the corner, potentially featuring Ryan Reynolds in a promotional role. 

When you look at the future of the Eastern Conference, Ottawa is right there with the Buffalo Sabres as a future contender. 

Brady Tkachuk is locked in through 2028, Drake Batherson through 2027, Tim Stützle through 2031. On defense Thomas Chabot is signed through 2028, in-season trade