The Ottawa Senators arrive in New Jersey with four wins in their first five games, but Monday’s matchup presents a fascinating fantasy hockey question: Can Tim Stützle keep producing at an elite pace against Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and a Devils team beginning to find its offensive rhythm?
On October 12, 2026, Ottawa visits the Devils at Prudential Center, with Stützle entering the contest with four goals and eight points. New Jersey counters with Hughes and Jesper Bratt, while Hischier is coming off a three-point performance that included two power-play goals against Vancouver.
What makes this game particularly interesting is the contrast in special teams. Ottawa’s power play has converted only 12.5% of its opportunities, while New Jersey’s penalty kill has struggled at 63.6%. That creates a potentially favourable opportunity for Ottawa’s offensive stars.
However, the Senators have an important injury concern involving Jake Sanderson, and the Devils generated considerable offensive pressure in their latest victory.
The biggest thing I’ll be watching is Ottawa’s power-play deployment without Sanderson and whether New Jersey can translate its shot volume into more goals. Those two developments could produce significantly different fantasy outcomes than the final score suggests.
Ottawa Senators vs. New Jersey Devils Game Information
Broadcast availability can change and regional restrictions may apply. Check your provider shortly before puck drop.
Monday’s regular-season matchup takes place at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
The game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Eastern, with the Devils indicating an anticipated puck drop of approximately 7:08 p.m. That translates to 6:00 p.m. Central and 5:00 p.m. Mountain.
Ottawa enters with an 4-1-0 record, while New Jersey stands at 2-2-0. Both clubs last played Saturday, October 10, giving them a day between games.
Ottawa Senators vs. New Jersey Devils Fantasy Hockey Matchup Outlook
The Senators have scored 14 goals while allowing 11 through five games, averaging 2.80 goals for and 2.20 against per contest.
New Jersey has scored 10 goals and surrendered 14 through four games, producing 2.50 goals per game while allowing 3.50.
- Record
- 4-1-0
- Standings Points
- 8
- Goals Scored
- 14
- Goals / Game
- 2.80
- Goals Against
- 11
- Power Play
- 12.50%
- Penalty Kill
- 78.26%
- Record
- 2-2-0
- Standings Points
- 4
- Goals Scored
- 10
- Goals / Game
- 2.50
- Goals Against
- 14
- Power Play
- 22.22%
- Penalty Kill
- 63.64%
My fantasy takeaway: Ottawa currently offers the better combination of defensive results and reliable scoring from its top players. However, the Devils’ goals-against average deserves context.
New Jersey’s 6-0 loss to the Islanders accounts for six of its 14 goals allowed. In its other three games, New Jersey conceded eight goals, an average of 2.67.
The Devils have also generated 151 shots through four games, compared with Ottawa’s 124 through five. That works out to 37.75 shots per game for New Jersey versus 24.80 for Ottawa.
Those numbers suggest that New Jersey’s offense may have more upside than its early scoring average indicates.
Special teams could decide which fantasy players benefit. Ottawa’s penalty kill is operating at 78.3%, compared with New Jersey’s 63.6%.
The teams last met April 12, 2026, when Hischier scored the overtime winner in a 4-3 Devils victory. New Jersey won two of their three meetings last season, but I wouldn’t place excessive weight on those results because both rosters have changed.
NHL Fantasy Players to Watch in Ottawa Senators vs. New Jersey Devils
Tim Stützle and Ottawa’s Top Fantasy Forwards
Stützle is my leading Ottawa fantasy option. His eight points through five games, including four assists, demonstrate that he can generate value both by finishing chances and creating them.
More importantly, he is averaging nearly 22 minutes of ice time. That level of involvement creates multiple opportunities to collect points, particularly if Ottawa draws penalties.
Drake Batherson enters with three goals and four points. He remains an attractive goal-scoring option, especially against New Jersey’s struggling penalty kill.
Shane Pinto has four assists through five games. I view him as an interesting secondary fantasy option because his playmaking production is already evident, even without an early goal.
Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and the Devils’ Offensive Upside
Jack Hughes remains New Jersey’s most dangerous offensive creator. His four points through four games do not fully capture his fantasy potential, particularly when he is generating shots and opportunities on the power play.
Hischier’s two-goal, three-point performance against Vancouver was encouraging. Both goals came on the power play, demonstrating how valuable his offensive-zone positioning can become.
Jesper Bratt also deserves attention after collecting four points in four games.
For fantasy managers looking beyond established stars, Luke Evangelista is especially interesting. The former Nashville forward has two goals and three points in four games with New Jersey. His role and power-play opportunities are worth monitoring as the season develops.
Defensemen and Goaltenders Worth Monitoring
With Sanderson sidelined, Thomas Chabot has become particularly important for Ottawa. He has three points and is averaging more than 27 minutes per game.
For New Jersey, Luke Hughes and Dougie Hamilton offer fantasy upside from the blue line. I want to see how their power-play responsibilities develop before declaring either the clear long-term first-unit option.
Linus Ullmark has started strongly, while Jake Allen stopped 20 shots against Vancouver. Neither starter for Monday has been officially confirmed in the information reviewed.
NHLTradeRumor.com Fantasy Matchup Projection
These projections assume the player dresses and receives meaningful minutes. Individual point ranges represent possible single-game outcomes, not guarantees or confirmed lineup assignments.
My six-player projection focuses on Stützle, Batherson and Chabot for Ottawa, alongside Jack Hughes, Hischier and Bratt for New Jersey.
These projections assume the player dresses and receives meaningful minutes.
What I’m watching: Special-teams ice time, rather than line designation alone, will be the biggest factor in deciding which secondary players offer genuine fantasy value.
Top Five Ottawa Senators and New Jersey Devils Fantasy Scorers for This Season
The 2026-27 scoring index below reflects regular-season production through October 10, before Monday’s matchup.
NHLTradeRumor.com Scoring Index: Each player’s point total is indexed against his team’s leading scorer. This visualization describes past production and is not a future projection. Percentages are calculated as player points divided by team-leading points, multiplied by 100. Players tied for the final position may not all be displayed.
Stützle leads Ottawa with eight points, twice the production of Batherson and Pinto, who have four apiece. Chabot and Michael Amadio each have three.
New Jersey has a more balanced early leaderboard. Hughes and Bratt lead with four points each, followed by Hischier and Evangelista with three. Jesper Boqvist has two goals and two points.
For a longer-term comparison, Ottawa’s top five scorers in 2025-26 were Stützle (34 goals, 49 assists, 83 points), Batherson (33-38-71), Dylan Cozens (28-31-59), Brady Tkachuk (22-37-59) and Sanderson (14-40-54).
New Jersey’s leaders were Hughes (27-50-77), Bratt (22-49-71), Hischier (28-38-66), Timo Meier (24-20-44) and Connor Brown (18-25-43).
Those historical totals provide more context than four or five games alone. Tkachuk is now with Florida, while Brown is currently injured.
Injuries and Absences That Could Affect Fantasy Value
Ottawa’s most significant fantasy concern is Sanderson’s lower-body injury. His absence removes a defenseman who produced 54 points last season and normally contributes major minutes.
Chabot becomes an obvious player to monitor for increased offensive responsibility. Young defenseman Carter Yakemchuk is another name to watch for potential opportunity, although his precise deployment remains subject to lineup decisions.
William Eklund is on injured reserve with an ankle injury. His absence reduces Ottawa’s available offensive options and may create additional opportunities for players such as Fabian Zetterlund or Andre Burakovsky.
Burakovsky returned to the lineup against Nashville after dealing with an upper-body injury. I would monitor his ice time before assuming a substantial offensive workload.
Artem Zub is on injured reserve with a knee injury. Kurtis MacDermid and Cameron Crotty are also unavailable according to the latest injury report.
For New Jersey, Connor Brown is dealing with an injury, Nick Bjugstad is recovering from a torn pectoral muscle, and Seamus Casey is sidelined following knee surgery.
Brown’s absence creates opportunities elsewhere in the forward group, including for Evangelista.
Johnathan Kovacevic has been activated from injured status, but his return to the lineup has not been confirmed.
The distinction matters: an injured player does not automatically create a permanent fantasy opportunity. Coaches may redistribute minutes across several players instead of promoting one replacement.
Ottawa Senators vs. New Jersey Devils Fantasy Hockey Prediction
MY SCORE PREDICTION: Ottawa Senators 4 – New Jersey Devils 3
I’m giving Ottawa a slight edge because of its stronger start, reliable offensive production from Stützle and the possibility of exploiting New Jersey’s struggling penalty kill.
However, I expect this matchup to be much closer than the teams’ records suggest.
New Jersey’s shot volume is one reason. The Devils have generated chances but haven’t converted consistently. If that changes Monday, Hughes, Bratt and Hischier could make this a difficult night for Ottawa’s goaltender.
Ullmark’s early performance gives Ottawa confidence if he starts, but I won’t treat that assignment as official until the club confirms it.
I also expect special teams to influence the scoring. Ottawa should be capable of generating power-play opportunities, while New Jersey’s recent success against Vancouver suggests its own man advantage is improving.
For fantasy managers, I favour Stützle as the safest high-upside option, followed closely by Hughes. Hischier offers attractive goal-scoring potential, while Chabot could deliver useful value through heavy minutes and offensive involvement.
My projected scoring environment is moderately favourable for fantasy forwards, but the starting-goaltender decisions could change that assessment.
The development that matters more than the final score: I want to see who quarterbacks Ottawa’s first power-play unit while Sanderson is unavailable.
A meaningful shift in responsibilities could create fantasy value extending well beyond Monday’s game.
How to Watch Ottawa Senators vs. New Jersey Devils
The Senators and Devils meet Monday, October 12, 2026, at Prudential Center in Newark.
The scheduled start is 7:00 p.m. ET, 6:00 p.m. CT and 5:00 p.m. MT.
In Canada, the game is listed on Sportsnet+ for English-language streaming and TVA Sports for French-language coverage.
In the United States, NHL Network provides national coverage, while MSG Sportsnet (MSGSN) carries the Devils’ regional broadcast. Eligible regional streaming is available through DAZN.
Radio options include Ottawa’s TSN 1200 and the Devils Hockey Network.
Regional blackouts mean certain games may be unavailable on particular services because another broadcaster holds the rights in your location. Fans should verify streaming access and channel listings shortly before puck drop.
For more coverage, check our Ottawa Senators TV schedule and New Jersey Devils TV schedule, or follow the 2026-27 NHL point leaders throughout the season. While you’re here, join our NHL Fantasy Hockey Pool to test your GM skills against other hockey fans and compete for ultimate bragging rights.
The post Ottawa Senators vs. New Jersey Devils Fantasy Hockey Prediction: Players to Watch, Score Pick & How to Watch appeared first on NHL Trade Rumors.
