Senators Promote Chabot to Captain After Tkachuk Departure
Ottawa named Thomas Chabot the 11th captain in franchise history, filling the role left vacant after Brady Tkachuk was traded to Florida in June. Chabot, the team's longest-tenured player, called the honor surprising and said he was shaking when he learned the news. Claude Giroux, Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson will serve as alternate captains.
Ottawa elevated 29-year-old blueliner Thomas Chabot, its longest-serving player, to the 11th captaincy in club history. He had been an alternate since 2020-21 and was drafted 18th overall in 2015, spending his whole NHL career with the Senators.
Brady Tkachuk, dealt to Florida on June 21, had held the role for five seasons. Claude Giroux, Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson will wear A's. GM Steve Staios shared the news in the locker room with Chabot's wife and newborn. Ottawa opens Saturday at Toronto.
The captaincy change may resonate most with Senators fans and Ottawa-area youth hockey communities, who could see Chabot's decade-long tenure as a model of patience and loyalty. It may also affect teammates and coaches by clarifying leadership roles before opening night. Across the NHL, the move could spotlight how clubs rebuild identity after star departures, though its broader social impact is likely modest and largely symbolic.