The Ottawa Senators had a vacancy for the team captain. Brady Tkachuk had been the captain for five seasons, from 2021 through this past season. In the offseason, the Senators traded away their captain, as Tkachuk was sent to the Florida Panthers.
Now, the team has named the 11th captain in franchise history, according to a release from the team.
Thomas Chabot, the longest-tenured player on the team, has been named the captain.
“Big surprise, huge honor,” Chabot said. “I don't have many words, which is rare for me. It's a big honor. I'm kind of shaking right now. But it's going to be a fun year. We have a hell of a group of guys and I feel like we're obviously really tight and I think we can go a long way this year. … Excited for this year, it'll be a good time and it'll be a fun year.”
Meanwhile, Claude Giroux, Tim Stutzle, and Jake Sanderson have been named the alternates for the season. Chabot was the 18th overall pick of the 2015 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut in 2016-17, playing one game with the Senators. He became a full-time player the next season. Chabot has played 569 games with the franchise.
“Thomas exemplifies everything we want in an Ottawa Senator,” Ottawa general manager Steve Staios said. “He's committed to the city and to the organization. He puts the team first.”
There are just three teams still without a captain for the season. The Columbus Blue Jackets also do not have a captain, after Boone Jenner left in the offseason. The Vancouver Canucks have yet to name a captain after trading Quinn Hughes last year. Finally, the Detroit Red Wings are without a captain as well. The Red Wings stripped Dylan Larkin of his captaincy after his trade request.