3 Ottawa Senators bounce-back candidates for 2025-26 feat. David Perron

The Ottawa Senators had a solid 2024-25 season, making the playoffs as part of the next step in their rebuild. The Sens ran into their provincial nemesis, the Toronto Maple Leafs, in the first round, but did not back down.

This upcoming season, the Senators will be looking to solidify their grip on a playoff spot. To achieve that feat, they’ll need to get strong performances from players who had relatively down years last season.

So, here’s a look at the top three Ottawa Senators bounce-back candidates ahead of the 2025-26 season.

Three Ottawa Senators bounce-back candidates for 2025-26

#3 Fabian Zetterlund

Fabian Zetterlund joined the Ottawa Senators at last season's trade deadline. He scored just two goals in 20 games for the Sens. That was a stark contrast to the 17 goals he scored in 64 games with the San Jose Sharks before joining the Senators.

A full season in Ottawa could help Zetterlund hit the ground running. The club proved it believes the 2017 third-round pick can rebound by signing him to a three-year, $12.83 million contract his offseason. So, that belief could spur Zetterlund to have a big bounce-back season.

#2 Lars Eller

The Ottawa Senators signed veteran forward Lars Eller to a one-year, $1.25 million contract his offseason. The incentive-laden deal looks to spur the 36-year-old to improve on what was a relatively down year in 2024-25.

Eller split the season between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins. He scored six goals in 63 games in Washington, then added four more in 17 contests for the Pens. The Senators are hoping Eller can return to his 15-goal form from 2023-24.

Given how much the Senators believe Eller remains a meaningful contributor at the NHL level, the longtime Capitals player could rebound and have a solid season in 2025-26.

#1 David Perron

David Perron had a tough, injury-filled season in 2024-25. The 37-year-old veteran was limited to 43 games, scoring nine goals and 16 points. That was a sharp decline from his 2023-24 numbers, in which he notched 17 goals and 47 points.

It’s also worth considering that Perron had remained consistently in the 60-point range over the last six seasons.

Given Perron’s talent and experience, there’s plenty of reason to believe that, if he stays healthy, Perron could have a strong bounce-back season. If he can play a full season, there’s no reason to believe that Perron could not return to a 15-goal, 50-point season in 2024-25.

About the author

Nestor is an NHL and MLB writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience. Growing up in Toronto, he became an avid Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan, but also admires the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Dodgers for their dominance in the 80s. Holding an Economics and Education major, Nestor’s passion for writing and sporting events led him to take up reporting about the sport professionally.

Nestor credits the Leafs’ playoff runs in the early '90s as having a lasting impact on him. His favorite players are Doug Gilmour and Mike Bossy, as he feels they were tough, talented leaders, while Pat Burns is his favorite coach of all time for always preaching a fast-paced game.

Growing up in Canada, it was natural for Nestor to become interested in ice hockey and he played Minor Hockey as a teenager, which has given him a unique perspective on the sport. Nestor has mastered the art of how to best present facts and he also has a knack for knowing which sources can be trusted, and which can't for stories.

When he is not writing about Canada’s national passion, Nestor enjoys running and hiking.

Know More

Wayne Gretzky’s wife Janet responds to critics questioning his loyalty to Canada, Bobby Orr's support following 4 Nations drama

Edited by Nestor Quixtan