Game 1 Hub: Florida Panthers @ Ottawa Senators

It's always fun to see who gets the loudest cheers during the player and staff introductions at the start of every season's home opener. Sens fans have had years where it's undoubtedly the team's captain, like Daniel Alfredsson or Brady Tkachuk; and years where it's their most skilled player, like Erik Karlsson or Tim Stützle. Will it be a newcomer this year?

We've had a few years now of marquee offseason additions, but with all due respect to 2022-23's Alex DeBrincat and Claude Giroux and 2023-24's Jakob Chychrun and Vladimir Tarasenko, my expectation is that the pop we'll hear tonight for Linus Ullmark will take the cake.

The Swedish netminder is fresh off of signing a four-year extension with the Senators that will keep him in the nation's capital for the next five seasons, bringing the organization high-level stability in net for the first time since the Craig Anderson era. If you subscribe to the logic that goaltenders are the position that can make or break a hockey team, Ullmark's signing springs new hope for the Senators fandom.

With everyone healthy and accounted for, here's how Ottawa will lineup for Travis Green's first regular season game in charge:

Meanwhile, Paul Maurice's Stanley Cup-defending Florida Panthers are fresh off a 6-4 victory against the Boston Bruins in their home opener, where they used these lines:

Game notes

• The defending Stanley Cup Champions had their way with Ottawa last season, winning all four matches by scores of 5-0 (Nov. 27 in Ottawa), 3-2 in OT (Feb. 20 in Florida), 6-0 (Apr. 4 in Ottawa), and 2-0 (Apr. 9 in Florida). That's a combined score of 16-2, with three shutouts.
• The Panthers were able to bring back much of their star power from last season, with the primary notable losses being top-four defender Brandon Montour, trade deadline rental Vladimir Tarasenko, and backup goaltender Anthony Stolarz to free agency. Their fourth line and bottom pair have been revamped, like most teams tinkering around the edges, but they still look like the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.
• Florida had to make a few roster moves following their home opener. Former Senators netminder Chris Driedger served as Sergei Bobrovsky's backup on Tuesday night but cleared waivers alongside MacKenzie Entwistle on Wednesday. The reason? Goaltender Spencer Knight is back with the team, and looks to play during the Panthers four-game road-trip for the first time since February 2023.
• New Panthers defenceman Adam Boqvist played against Boston, but left the game early after taking a shot off his jaw. It looks like he's travelling with the team, but might not play tonight; if he doesn't, Nate Schmidt will make his season debut.
• For the Senators, I'm most curious to see how Travis Green chooses to utilize his lines against a top team like the Panthers. Is Shane Pinto going to see shutdown minutes against Barkov or Bennett? Or does he go power for power and counter with Stützle and Norris?
• On special teams, I wonder who will play PP2 and PK1/2 minutes to start. I imagine fourth-line centre Adam Gaudette works himself into PP2, but that leaves the question of who will take the draws on the penalty kill – especially given that Stützle and Norris are coming off of injuries last season.

For those attending the game in-person, the Sens are asking people to arrive early. At 3:00pm ET, the plaza outside of Gate 1 will open for the players' red carpet entrance until 4:45pm. There will also be photo stations, inflatables, face paint, a beer tent, and live music. In return, they ask fans to bring non-perishable food items as the Ottawa Food Bank will be on location accepting donations. It sounds like a great time, have fun and let us know how it goes in the comments!

Puck drop is scheduled for just after 7:00pm ET, and the game can be watched on TSN5, RDS2, and SCRIPPS.

For the first time in the 2024-25 season, let' say it all together:

GO SENS GO!