Upcoming Ottawa Senators dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
The capital's revived franchise
The Ottawa Senators play their home games at Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata, a suburban community about 22 kilometers (roughly 14 miles) west-southwest of downtown Ottawa, with a regular season that runs from early October to mid-April and playoffs that can run into June. They compete in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins and others.
The name carries more history than the current club. The original Ottawa Senators, who played from 1917 to 1934, won 11 Stanley Cups before relocating to St. Louis. The modern franchise was awarded in 1990 and played its first game on October 8, 1992, a 5–3 win over Montreal at the Ottawa Civic Centre. The team, known as the Sens, wears black, red, white and gold, and its mascot, Spartacat, has been part of game nights since that first season. Michael Andlauer became majority owner in September 2023.
The club serves a bilingual market that spans Ottawa and Gatineau, Quebec, across the river. Rosters and coaching staffs change, so check the team's site for the current lineup before you buy.
Canadian Tire Centre for hockey
Canadian Tire Centre opened on January 15, 1996, as the Palladium, and later carried the names Corel Centre (1996–2006) and Scotiabank Place (2006–2013). Its address is 1000 Palladium Drive. Wikipedia lists hockey capacity at 18,655 from 2018 through 2025 and about 17,010 from 2026, reflecting seats removed from the building; check the team for the current figure.
The seating bowl has three fixed levels plus a suite level:
- The 100 level, the lower bowl closest to the ice.
- The 200 level, the middle tier.
- The 300 level, the upper tier.
- The mezzanine, a ring of suites reached by elevator.
Seating guides note that seat 1 sits on the right side of a section as you face the ice, and that accessible rows are at the top of most sections. The 200/300 concourse also houses the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame exhibit.
Where to sit for a Senators game
Center ice
Seating guides identify sections 105 to 107 and 115 to 117 as the center-ice sections of the lower bowl. They place the Senators bench in front of section 105, the visitors' bench in front of 107 and the penalty box in front of 116. For the clearest view of plays developing, sit at least 10 rows up: the higher angle shows spacing and passing lanes that the glass hides from the front rows.
The end where the Senators shoot twice
Home teams attack the far net in the first and third periods. Guides list the Senators as shooting twice at the net in front of sections 110 and 111. That end is also where one guide places the Club Bell, a premium area with a private entrance and all-inclusive food and nonalcoholic drinks.
Glass seats
The first row against the glass is the place for speed, sound and hits along the boards. It is a poor seat for following play at the far end of the rink. Treat it as a one-night experience rather than the best view.
The 200 and 300 levels
The center sections of the 200 level are the value pick for many fans, high enough to read the game but close enough to see faces. One guide places the Molson Canadian Fan Deck in sections 214 to 216, with in-seat service and a private bar. The 300 level costs the least and shows the whole rink, though the top rows are a long way from the ice.
The Battle of Ontario and other big nights
The NHL calendar follows a fixed shape: preseason games in late September, an 82-game regular season (41 home games) from early October to mid-April, and four rounds of best-of-seven playoffs from mid-April into June.
Demand at Canadian Tire Centre swings more with the opponent than in most markets:
- The Toronto Maple Leafs. The Battle of Ontario is the marquee divisional matchup, and Toronto is close enough for visiting fans to make the trip. The rivalry has an edge: Toronto won all four playoff meetings between 2000 and 2004 and won again in six games in 2025.
- The Montreal Canadiens. A rivalry between the two cities that predates the NHL itself, renewed in the modern era as division opponents.
- Other Canadian teams and Original Six clubs. Visits from clubs with large national followings usually draw better than a typical weeknight opponent.
- Saturday nights. Weekend dates draw the most local demand, since a weeknight trip to Kanata is a long one for fans coming from Gatineau or the east end.
Playoff games are the most expensive tickets of the year; Ottawa returned to the postseason in 2024–25 after an eight-year absence and again in 2025–26. Midweek games against non-Canadian Western Conference teams are usually the easiest entry point. Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee.
Getting to Kanata and inside the arena
Plan for the distance. The arena sits in Kanata, far from the downtown hotels, and a Boston Globe report put the trip from downtown at about 40 minutes. OC Transpo runs game-day service under its Connexion 400 branding, scaled to the size and timing of each event; look for bus stops showing the Connexion 400 logo and check the arena's transit page for the current plan. Parking passes are sold online in advance, and accessible parking is in Lot A on a first-come basis.
As of fall 2026, the arena's posted rules include:
- Bags are limited to clutch- or wallet-style bags smaller than 4 by 6 by 1.5 inches; backpacks and camera bags are not allowed. Medical and diaper bags are permitted after screening.
- Tickets are digital and scanned from your phone.
- No re-admission once you leave the building.
- The arena is cash-free, accepting debit and credit cards only.
The bag rule is stricter than at most NHL arenas, so leave anything larger in the car or at your hotel. Check the arena's current policy before you go.
A Cup Final, a near miss and a move downtown
The modern Senators spent their first seasons at the Ottawa Civic Centre before moving to Kanata in 1996. They won the Presidents' Trophy as the league's best regular-season team in 2002–03 and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2007, losing to the Anaheim Ducks in five games; Canadian Tire Centre, then Scotiabank Place, hosted Final games that spring. The arena has also hosted the 2008 NHL Draft and the 2012 NHL All-Star Game.
The closest call since came in 2017, when Ottawa lost the conference final to Pittsburgh in double overtime of Game 7. Pittsburgh went on to win the Cup.
The franchise's next chapter may be downtown. In August 2025 the Senators signed a land sale agreement with the National Capital Commission for LeBreton Flats as the site of a new arena closer to downtown. Construction remains years away, so Canadian Tire Centre will be home for the foreseeable future.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the Ottawa Senators play?
The Senators play at Canadian Tire Centre, 1000 Palladium Drive in Kanata, about 22 kilometers west-southwest of downtown Ottawa. The arena opened in 1996.
Which end do the Senators shoot twice?
Seating guides list the Senators as attacking the net in front of sections 110 and 111 in the first and third periods. Confirm on the seat map for your listing.
How do I get to Canadian Tire Centre without a car?
OC Transpo runs Connexion 400 game-day bus service, scaled to the size of the event. Check the arena's public transportation page for routes before you go.
What bags are allowed at Canadian Tire Centre?
As of fall 2026, only clutch- or wallet-style bags smaller than 4 by 6 by 1.5 inches are allowed, plus medical and diaper bags after screening. Check the current policy before you go.
Have the Ottawa Senators won the Stanley Cup?
The modern Senators, who began play in 1992, reached the Final in 2007 but lost to Anaheim. The original Ottawa Senators won 11 Stanley Cups before leaving in 1934.
Are the Senators moving to a new arena?
The team signed a land sale agreement for LeBreton Flats in August 2025 for a planned downtown arena, but construction is years away.