The Ottawa Senators will begin the 2025-26 NHL regular season without defencemen Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub, both of whom remain sidelined with injuries as the team prepares for its opener.
Head coach Travis Green confirmed the two players will not be available for the season opener, though he did not specify a timeline for their return. Sanderson and Zub have both been absent from recent practices, and neither has participated in full team drills leading up to the opener.
The team has not announced a replacement pairing or a call-up from the American Hockey League’s Belleville Senators as of this report.
The Senators will rely on a young defensive corps to fill the void in the interim.
Sources: Ottawa Citizen