The 2018–19 Ottawa Senators season was the 27th season of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Senators failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive year, and finished last in the league with 64 points. The season saw the trading away of several notable veterans including Erik Karlsson, Matt Duchene, Mark Stone and Ryan Dzingel and the firing of coach Guy Boucher.

Team business In May 2018, the club announced the appointment of Nicolas Ruszkowski as its new chief operating officer. Ruszkowski has a background in public relations. Ruszkowski will be in charge of business operations and will not have a role in hockey operations.

Assistant general manager Randy Lee was suspended by the club in June, after being charged for offences during the NHL Entry Draft Combine in Buffalo, New York. He resigned from the position in August.

The Belleville Senators head coaching vacancy was filled in June when the Senators announced the hiring of Troy Mann, a veteran of ten seasons in the North American minor leagues.

The Senators named a new assistant general manager on September 17. The new assistant general manager is Peter MacTavish, who was previously with law firm Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP, and CAA Hockey.

The Senators announced that the Brampton Beast will be the team's official ECHL affiliate after the Montreal Canadiens decided not to renew their affiliation with the Beast.

The Senators' plans to build a new arena downtown in partnership with Trinity Developments came apart after it was revealed that the Senators were suing Trinity for in damages. Trinity was developing a site adjacent to the LeBreton Flats site and the Senators felt this was inappropriate competition. Trinity responded with a dollar lawsuit, accusing the Senators of being unwilling to contribute any money to the project. The National Capital Commission (NCC), in charge of the public lands the arena would be situated on, announced the cancellation of the partnership's bid to develop the site, but gave the sides an extension when the two parties agreed to mediation. On February 27, 2019, it was announced that mediation between the parties had failed to come to an agreement and that the NCC would explore other options for the site's redevelopment.

Off-season In July, the Senators avoided arbitration with winger Mark Stone coming to agreement on a $7.3 million one-year contract. Contract negotiations with defenseman Cody Ceci went to arbitration, where he was awarded a $4.3 million one-year deal.

In August, the Senators' 2018 first-round pick Brady Tkachuk decided to forego further seasons in university to turn professional with the Senators, signing a three-year entry-level contract. The Senators hired former player Chris Kelly as a development coach on September 4, 2018. He joins former player Shean Donovan as development coach.

A contract extension was offered to captain Erik Karlsson on July 1, with no terms disclosed publicly. Karlsson turned down the offer, prompting media speculation about his status. The media reported that Karlsson was free to negotiate terms with other teams, however, no trade was made at the time. Trade speculation heated up as the team neared training camp, and the team finally made a deal with the San Jose Sharks on September 13, one day before training camp. The team received two NHL players (Dylan DeMelo, Chris Tierney), two young prospects (Josh Norris and Rudolfs Balcers), and first-round and second-round draft picks in exchange for Karlsson. Karlsson did not agree to a contract extension with the Sharks, and a second-round draft pick of the Sharks will go to the Senators should he re-sign with San Jose. An additional pick will go to the Senators should the Sharks trade Karlsson to the Eastern Conference.

Pre-season The Senators played in the Kraft Hockeyville game again in pre-season, playing the Toronto Maple Leafs in Lucan, Ontario on September 18. The team played a six-game pre-season schedule, including two against Toronto, two against Montreal and two against Chicago.

Regular season The Senators' first game of the season, also the home opener, was on October 4, 2018, versus the Chicago Blackhawks. In the team's 26Did not play in 2004-05 seasons of play, this was the first time the Blackhawks were the opening night opponent.

During November, a video leaked of seven Senators players, including Matt Duchene, Chris Wideman, Chris Tierney, Dylan DeMelo and Thomas Chabot, mocking the team during an Uber ride from a game. The five-minute video featured the players laughing at the team's low ranked penalty kill, poor special teams and insulting assistant coach Martin Raymond, who was not present in the vehicle. The video quickly went viral, and started a dialogue about privacy and consent about recording conversations. The players involved issued apologies for their comments.

At the trade deadline, the Senators traded away their top three scorers: Mark Stone, Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel; all were scheduled to become unrestricted free agents in July and had not agreed to contract extensions. Duchene and Dzingel were traded away to the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Stone was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights. At the trade deadline, the Senators were in last place in the NHL, a position they would hold for the rest of the season.

On March 1, 2019, head coach Guy Boucher was fired and associate coach Marc Crawford was named as interim head coach.

Playoffs The Senators failed to qualify for the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs after being eliminated on March 9, 2019, following a 3–2 loss to the Boston Bruins.

Standings

Schedule and results

Pre-season The pre-season schedule was published on June 18, 2018. 2018 pre-season game log: 2–4–0 (Home: 1–2–0; Road: 1–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 18 Ottawa 1–4 Toronto Condon – 0–1–0 2 September 19 Toronto 4–1 Ottawa McKenna 11,375 0–2–0 3 September 21 Chicago 5–2 Ottawa Gustavsson 7,891 0–3–0 4 September 22 Ottawa 2–3 Montreal Anderson 20,405 0–4–0 5 September 27 Ottawa 2–1 Chicago Condon 20,239 1–4–0 6 September 29 Montreal 0–3 Ottawa Anderson 14,398 2–4–0 Notes: Game was played at Lucan Community Memorial Centre in Lucan, Ontario.

Regular season The regular season schedule was released on June 21, 2018. 2018–19 game log (Record: 29–47–6; Home: 18–19–4; Road: 11–28–2)October: 4–5–2 (Home: 3–2–1; Road: 1–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 4 Chicago 4–3 Ottawa OT Anderson 15,858 0–0–1 1 2 October 6 Ottawa 5–3 Toronto Anderson 19,321 1–0–1 3 3 October 8 Ottawa 3–6 Boston Condon 17,565 1–1–1 3 4 October 10 Philadelphia 7–4 Ottawa Anderson 13,215 1–2–1 3 5 October 13 Los Angeles 1–5 Ottawa Anderson 15,355 2–2–1 5 6 October 15 Dallas 1–4 Ottawa Anderson 12,358 3–2–1 7 7 October 20 Montreal 3–4 Ottawa OT Anderson 18,442 4–2–1 9 8 October 23 Boston 4–1 Ottawa Anderson 15,265 4–3–1 9 9 October 26 Ottawa 3–6 Colorado Anderson 16,851 4–4–1 9 10 October 28 Ottawa 3–4 Vegas OT Anderson 18,089 4–4–2 10 11 October 30 Ottawa 1–5 Arizona Condon 13,988 4–5–2 10 November: 7–7–1 (Home: 5–2–1; Road: 2–5–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 12 November 1 Buffalo 2–4 Ottawa Anderson 12,587 5–5–2 12 13 November 3 Ottawa 2–9 Buffalo Anderson 17,881 5–6–2 12 14 November 4 Tampa Bay 4–3 Ottawa OT Anderson 11,364 5–6–3 13 15 November 6 New Jersey 3–7 Ottawa Anderson 12,491 6–6–3 15 16 November 8 Vegas 5–3 Ottawa Anderson 15,213 6–7–3 15 17 November 10 Ottawa 6–4 Tampa Bay Anderson 19,092 7–7–3 17 18 November 11 Ottawa 1–5 Florida McKenna 11,192 7–8–3 17 19 November 15 Detroit 1–2 Ottawa Anderson 13,402 8–8–3 19 20 November 17 Pittsburgh 4–6 Ottawa Anderson 17,692 9–8–3 21 21 November 19 Florida 7–5 Ottawa Anderson 11,750 9–9–3 21 22 November 21 Ottawa 4–6 Minnesota Anderson 19,035 9–10–3 21 23 November 23 Ottawa 4–6 Dallas Anderson 18,532 9–11–3 21 24 November 26 Ottawa 2–4 NY Rangers Anderson 16,709 9–12–3 21 25 November 27 Ottawa 4–3 Philadelphia McKenna 19,083 10–12–3 23 26 November 29 NY Rangers 0–3 Ottawa Anderson 10,921 11–12–3 25 December: 4–9–1 (Home: 3–3–1; Road: 1–6–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 27 December 1 San Jose 2–6 Ottawa Anderson 17,531 12–12–3 27 28 December 4 Ottawa 2–5 Montreal Anderson 20,705 12–13–3 27 29 December 6 Montreal 5–2 Ottawa Anderson 15,820 12–14–3 27 30 December 8 Pittsburgh 1–2 Ottawa OT Anderson 15,795 13–14–3 29 31 December 9 Boston 2–1 Ottawa OT McKenna 13,148 13–14–4 30 32 December 11 Ottawa 1–3 Nashville Anderson 17,162 13–15–4 30 33 December 14 Ottawa 4–2 Detroit Anderson 18,330 14–15–4 32 34 December 15 Ottawa 2–5 Montreal McKenna 21,302 14–16–4 32 35 December 17 Nashville 3–4 Ottawa OT Anderson 14,492 15–16–4 34 36 December 21 Ottawa 2–5 New Jersey Anderson 14,614 15–17–4 34 37 December 22 Washington 4–0 Ottawa McKenna 15,605 15–18–4 34 38 December 28 Ottawa 3–6 NY Islanders McKenna 13,434 15–19–4 34 39 December 29 Washington 3–2 Ottawa Hogberg 16,808 15–20–4 34 40 December 31 Ottawa 3–6 Columbus Hogberg 18,549 15–21–4 34 January: 4–5–1 (Home: 1–3–1; Road: 3–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 41 January 2 Vancouver 4–3 Ottawa OT Hogberg 16,358 15–21–5 35 42 January 5 Minnesota 4–3 Ottawa Nilsson 14,124 15–22–5 35 43 January 6 Carolina 5–4 Ottawa Nilsson 12,924 15–23–5 35 44 January 9 Ottawa 2–1 Anaheim OT Nilsson 17,174 16–23–5 37 45 January 10 Ottawa 4–1 Los Angeles Nilsson 17,713 17–23–5 39 46 January 12 Ottawa 1–4 San Jose Nilsson 17,562 17–24–5 39 47 January 16 Colorado 2–5 Ottawa Nilsson 14,468 18–24–5 41 48 January 18 Ottawa 4–1 Carolina Nilsson 15,598 19–24–5 43 49 January 19 Ottawa 2–3 St. Louis Anderson 17,690 19–25–5 43 50 January 22 Arizona 3–2 Ottawa Anderson 12,236 19–26–5 43 February: 3–11–0 (Home: 2–5–0; Road: 1–6–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 51 February 1 Ottawa 3–5 Pittsburgh Nilsson 18,618 19–27–5 43 52 February 2 Detroit 2–0 Ottawa Anderson 15,714 19–28–5 43 53 February 6 Ottawa 4–5 Toronto Anderson 19,264 19–29–5 43 54 February 7 Anaheim 0–4 Ottawa Nilsson 12,617 20–29–5 45 55 February 9 Winnipeg 2–5 Ottawa Nilsson 16,263 21–29–5 47 56 February 12 Carolina 4–1 Ottawa Nilsson 10,648 21–30–5 47 57 February 14 Ottawa 2–3 Detroit Nilsson 18,575 21–31–5 47 58 February 16 Ottawa 4–3 Winnipeg OT Nilsson 15,321 22–31–5 49 59 February 18 Ottawa 7–8 Chicago Anderson 21,338 22–32–5 49 60 February 21 Ottawa 0–4 New Jersey Nilsson 12,964 22–33–5 49 61 February 22 Columbus 3–0 Ottawa Anderson 13,918 22–34–5 49 62 February 24 Calgary 2–1 Ottawa Anderson 13,160 22–35–5 49 63 February 26 Ottawa 2–7 Washington Nilsson 18,506 22–36–5 49 64 February 28 Edmonton 4–2 Ottawa Anderson 18,358 22–37–5 49 March: 6–7–1 (Home: 4–2–0; Road: 2–5–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 65 March 2 Ottawa 1–5 Tampa Bay Anderson 19,092 22–38–5 49 66 March 3 Ottawa 3–2 Florida Nilsson 11,752 23–38–5 51 67 March 5 Ottawa 4–5 NY Islanders SO Anderson 11,445 23–38–6 52 68 March 7 NY Islanders 4–2 Ottawa Nilsson 11,967 23–39–6 52 69 March 9 Ottawa 2–3 Boston Anderson 17,565 23–40–6 52 70 March 11 Ottawa 2–3 Philadelphia Anderson 18,193 23–41–6 52 71 March 14 St. Louis 0–2 Ottawa Nilsson 13,378 24–41–6 54 72 March 16 Toronto 2–6 Ottawa Nilsson 18,607 25–41–6 56 73 March 20 Ottawa 4–7 Vancouver Nilsson 18,500 25–42–6 56 74 March 21 Ottawa 1–5 Calgary Anderson 18,793 25–43–6 56 75 March 23 Ottawa 4–3 Edmonton OT Anderson 18,347 26–43–6 58 76 March 26 Buffalo 0–4 Ottawa Anderson 12,074 27–43–6 60 77 March 28 Florida 5–2 Ottawa Nilsson 14,230 27–44–6 60 78 March 30 Toronto 2–4 Ottawa Anderson 18,655 28–44–6 62