A hot topic among fans of the Ottawa Senators this offseason has been the naming of the franchise’s 11th captain. The position has been vacant since the departure of Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers a week before the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
When it comes to who should take his place, one name immediately comes to mind – Claude Giroux. An Ontario native who’s shown commitment to the city of Ottawa by signing three consecutive contracts as a highly touted unrestricted free agent. A veteran of over 1,300 NHL games, with the faceoff prowess and off-puck IQ to still be an effective middle-six forward at 38 years of age. Among multiple deserving candidates on the Sens, Giroux stands out due to the experience factor – both as a NHL player and captain, having donned the ‘C’ with the Philadelphia Flyers for nearly 10 years.
One potential argument against naming Giroux captain is that his tenure wouldn’t be very long – the 2026-27 season is expected to be his last in the NHL. However, a short tenure as captain can still be incredibly meaningful, especially if Giroux can end his career with his first, and the Senators’ first, Stanley Cup championship. It would be his first time wearing the ‘C’ in Ottawa, but aside from taking ceremonial faceoffs, his role within the organization wouldn’t change much, as he’s been an invaluable presence in the locker room from the day he first signed in the summer of 2022.
A Giroux captaincy would also solve another potential issue regarding another candidate for the Senators – Thomas Chabot. The 29-year-old defenceman has been the longest serving active Ottawa Senator ever since being drafted in the first round in 2015, and also possesses the on-and-off ice qualities of a captain.
The issue with giving Chabot the ‘C’ today, however, is that his current contract expires on July 1st, 2028, and while I predict he’ll sign an extension well before then, naming him captain while there’s some uncertainty could lead to some tricky negotiations – Ottawa could potentially be forced to overpay him, lest they let another captain walk out the door.
Alternatively, naming Giroux as captain for the upcoming season, having him retire (after winning the Cup), then extending Chabot on July 1st, 2027 while simultaneously naming him the 12th captain, would be a perfect scenario. Of course, there’s still lots of uncertainty regarding Chabot’s next deal – given that numerous comparable contracts will be signed over the next several months, that discussion can wait a while. But even if a deal can’t be reached, Tim Stützle is still a thing. He’d also be a great choice for the long haul that fans wouldn’t be upset about.
While there a ton of great options for the 11th captain of the Ottawa Senators, Claude Giroux is the best choice, given his experience, presence on and off the ice, local ties, and the current outlook of the roster. Do you agree? If not, let us know in the comments – who would you select as Ottawa’s next captain?