Senators vs Devils Preview: Can Red-Hot Ottawa Keep Its Strong Start Going?

The Ottawa Senators have wasted little time making noise to start the new NHL season.

Ottawa enters Monday night’s matchup against the New Jersey Devils with a 4-1-0 record, and another strong performance would further strengthen the belief that this team is ready to be a serious contender in the Atlantic Division.

The Senators visit the Devils at the Prudential Center in Newark on Monday, October 12, with puck drop scheduled for just after 7 p.m. ET.

For Ottawa, much of the early excitement has centred around Tim Stützle. The German forward has already produced eight points in five games, including four goals, and has emerged as the driving force behind the Senators’ impressive start.

New Jersey, however, enters the game with momentum of its own after a convincing victory over Vancouver.

Here is what Canadian hockey fans should watch tonight.

Senators Enter New Jersey With Early-Season Momentum

A 4-1-0 start does not define an entire NHL season, but Ottawa could hardly have asked for much more from its opening five games.

The Senators have shown an ability to find ways to win while receiving important contributions from their biggest players.

That is an encouraging sign for a team facing significant expectations this season.

Ottawa’s confidence should also be high after beating Nashville 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday. The victory continued an impressive opening stretch and gives the Senators an opportunity to make another statement against a talented New Jersey roster.

Winning on the road against the Devils would arguably be Ottawa’s most convincing result yet.

Tim Stützle Has Been Ottawa’s Early Difference-Maker

Few Senators players have started the season better than Tim Stützle.

Through Ottawa’s first five games, Stützle has recorded:

• 4 goals

• 4 assists

• 8 points

He also scored on the power play and added an assist in Saturday’s victory over Nashville.

His production is important, but so is the way he is influencing games.

Stützle has the speed to create problems through the neutral zone, the creativity to open passing lanes and the finishing ability to punish teams when given space around the net.

Against New Jersey, he will once again be one of Ottawa’s biggest offensive threats.

If Stützle continues producing at this pace, his excellent start could quickly become one of the bigger NHL storylines in Canada.

Linus Ullmark Gives Ottawa Another Major Advantage

Stützle may be attracting much of the attention offensively, but Ottawa’s goaltending has also played a major role in its strong start.

Linus Ullmark is 4-0-0 through his first four starts of the season, with a 1.34 goals-against average and .942 save percentage.

Those are outstanding early numbers.

Strong goaltending can completely change the outlook of a close road game, particularly against a New Jersey team with players capable of creating scoring chances quickly.

If Ullmark maintains his early-season form, the Devils may have very little margin for error.

Devils Are Coming Off Their Best Performance of the Season

Ottawa may be the hotter team overall, but New Jersey should not be underestimated.

The Devils improved to 2-2-0 after defeating the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 on Saturday at Prudential Center.

It was an especially impressive night for captain Nico Hischier, who scored twice and added an assist.

His first goal was also the 200th of his NHL career.

Jesper Bratt added a goal and an assist, while Jack Hughes recorded two assists.

For New Jersey, the performance offered a reminder of just how dangerous its top players can be when they find their rhythm.

Ottawa Must Stay Out of the Penalty Box

One area could decide Monday’s matchup: special teams.

New Jersey scored three power-play goals on four opportunities against Vancouver.

Hischier scored two of them, while Bratt added another as the Devils repeatedly punished the Canucks for taking penalties.

That should be an obvious warning for Ottawa.

Giving players such as Hischier, Bratt and Hughes repeated opportunities with an extra skater could quickly erase any advantage the Senators have at even strength.

Discipline will therefore be one of Ottawa’s biggest priorities tonight.

Nico Hischier vs Tim Stützle Could Be the Matchup to Watch

There are plenty of talented players on both sides, but the battle between the two centres could provide the game’s most interesting storyline.

Stützle enters as Ottawa’s hottest offensive player.

Hischier enters after producing three points against Vancouver.

Both can influence a game offensively, both play important roles on special teams, and both are capable of turning a relatively quiet shift into a scoring opportunity.

Whichever player has the larger impact could go a long way toward deciding the result.

Can Ottawa Keep Its Hot Start Going?

The encouraging thing for Senators fans is that Ottawa is no longer simply trying to prove it can compete.

The challenge now is showing that its strong opening week can be sustained.

A road game against New Jersey represents another useful test.

The Devils have considerable offensive talent, are coming off their strongest performance of the young season and will be looking to finish their homestand with another victory.

Ottawa, meanwhile, has an opportunity to move to 5-1-0 and continue establishing itself as one of the NHL’s hottest teams.

For Canadian fans watching Monday night, the biggest question is simple:

Can anyone slow down Tim Stützle and the Senators right now?

Senators vs Devils: Game Information

Matchup: Ottawa Senators vs New Jersey Devils
Date: Monday, October 12, 2026
Time: 7:08 p.m. ET
Location: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
Ottawa record: 4-1-0
New Jersey record: 2-2-0

With Stützle producing, Ullmark shutting the door and New Jersey’s power play suddenly clicking, Senators vs Devils has all the ingredients for one of Monday night’s most interesting NHL matchups.