Ottawa Senators News & Rumors

Today is the first day of standard waivers for the 2025-26 campaign, meaning teams can now begin the process of cutting non-waiver-exempt players from their training camp rosters. The Senators are the first to do so, announcing they’re placing five players on the wire, including 2021 first-rounder Xavier Bourgault. Forwards Wyatt Bongiovanni and Garrett Pilon, defenseman Cameron Crotty, and goaltender Hunter Shepard are the other names that teams can submit claims for 24 hours after waivers officially open at 1:00 pm Central. They’ll all be assigned to AHL Belleville if they clear.

The moves were part of a wide-spanning roster cut the Sens made today ahead of their two neutral-site exhibition games in Quebec City. Those early cuts have the Sens’ camp roster down to just 31 players, by far the lowest roster count in the league, with well over a week until opening night rosters are due.

Bourgault hitting the wire is notable but not particularly surprising. It’s his first year without a waiver exemption, but the 22-year-old forward hasn’t demonstrated much development at all since turning pro three years ago. In fact, Bourgault’s AHL point pace has largely regressed over time, and as a result, he’s yet to make his NHL debut, never mind securing a call-up.

The Oilers made him the 22nd overall pick of the 2021 draft after the 5’11” Quebecer had 40 points in just 29 games for QMJHL Shawinigan in his COVID-shortened draft year. He remained highly productive the following year with 75 points in 43 appearances, winning a QMJHL title in the process, before turning pro “early” in 2022-23 thanks to his October birthdate. His transition to pro hockey was measured, although he still managed a respectable 13-21–34 scoring line in 62 appearances with AHL Bakersfield. His production cratered the following year, though, limited to 20 points in 55 games and losing consistency in the lineup. That led the Oilers to cut bait with him last offseason, trading him to the Sens for winger Roby Jarventie.

Bourgault similarly failed to impress with Belleville last season. He finished eighth on the team in scoring with a 12-14–26 line in 61 appearances. While it was enough to earn him a qualifying offer and a subsequent two-way deal in July after his entry-level contract ran out, it was never going to be enough to put him in serious contention for an NHL roster spot, barring a hugely impressive training camp performance. As a result, he’s at risk of being lost for nothing on the wire if a team decides to take a swing on his draft pedigree.

As for the other names, Bongiovanni is standard waiver wire fodder for this time of year. The 26-year-old pivot is a respectable AHL scorer, notching a career-best 22 goals and 33 points in 54 showings with the B-Sens last year, but doesn’t have any NHL experience to his name. He’ll likely only see his first NHL recall this season if injuries take out an overwhelming amount of Ottawa’s forward core.

Pilon, 27, fills a similar niche with more pro experience. The 6’0″ pivot is entering his third season in the Sens organization and served as Belleville’s captain last year, posting 48 points in 68 games. A 2016 third-round pick by the Capitals, he scored one goal in three NHL games across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 campaigns with them but hasn’t appeared at the top level since. He’ll clear the wire with no issue and resume his role as the on-ice leader of Ottawa’s top development affiliate.

Crotty and Shepard are both new faces to the organization, signing two-way deals this summer to serve as experienced call-up options. They might draw some consideration as a result, but by waiving them this early in camp, the Sens have a better chance of passing them through before preseason injuries truly begin to pile up. Crotty made one appearance each for the Coyotes and Wild in each of the past two campaigns, but nearly all of the 26-year-old’s pro experience has come in the minors. The 6’3″ shutdown righty served as the captain for Minnesota’s AHL club last year and had 10 assists with a -7 rating in 64 appearances.

Shepard will serve as the Sens’ No. 4 goalie on the depth chart behind Linus Ullmark, Leevi Merilainen, and Mads Søgaard. That’s a step down from his last few seasons in Washington, where he was the AHL starter and No. 3 option organizationally. But after being named the AHL’s top goaltender in the 2023-24 campaign, his numbers took a nosedive last year with a .891 SV%, 2.80 GAA, and a 23-11-4 record in 39 appearances for the Hershey Bears. Goalie-needy teams will likely look elsewhere for depth as a result.