The Senators have made a pair of roster moves coming out of the holiday break to give them some extra depth. The team announced that they’ve recalled forward Xavier Bourgault and defenseman Dennis Gilbert from AHL Belleville. To make room for them on the roster, center Lars Eller was moved to injured reserve.
This is the first regular season recall of Bourgault’s career (though he has been brought up as a Black Ace in the playoffs before). The 23-year-old was a first-round pick by Edmonton back in 2021, going 22nd overall but has played exclusively in the AHL since turning pro in 2022. Ottawa acquired him back in the 2024 offseason.
Bourgault has been quite productive with Belleville to earn this promotion. In 32 games this season, he has nine goals and 18 assists, including ten helpers in his last nine outings. As a result, he has already surpassed his output from last season when he had 26 points in 61 contests. He’s expected to make his NHL debut against Toronto tonight with the team announcing (Twitter link) that Bourgault is expected to slot in on the fourth line.
Gilbert, meanwhile, gets his second recall after being acquired from Philadelphia earlier this season. He got into one game on that first stint, his only taste of action at the top level in 2025-26 though he was injured for most of the season. Between Belleville and AHL Lehigh Valley, the 30-year-old has six assists in 13 games.