2015–16 Ottawa Senators season

2015–16 Ottawa Senators
Division	5th Atlantic
Conference	11th Eastern
2015–16 record	38–35–9
Home record	21–14–6
Road record	17–21–3
Goals for	236
Goals against	247
Team information
General manager	Bryan Murray
Coach	Dave Cameron
Captain	Erik Karlsson
Alternate captains	Chris Neil Chris Phillips Kyle Turris
Arena	Canadian Tire Centre
Average attendance	18,084 (94.4%)
Minor league affiliate(s)	Binghamton Senators (AHL) Evansville IceMen (ECHL)
Team leaders
Goals	Mike Hoffman (29)
Assists	Erik Karlsson (66)
Points	Erik Karlsson (82)
Penalty minutes	Chris Neil (165)
Plus/minus	Jean-Gabriel Pageau (+17)
Wins	Craig Anderson (31)
Goals against average	Andrew Hammond (2.65)

The 2015–16 Ottawa Senators season was the 24th season of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Senators, along with all other Canadian teams, failed to make the playoffs. A major trade was made during the season to bring Dion Phaneuf to the Senators and improve the team defence, but the team was not able to make a run to secure a playoff spot. Two significant faults in the team were noted by the media: the club allowed 247 goals, third-highest in the league. Secondly, the team's penalty-killing unit ranked 29th in the league. One day after the regular season, general manager (GM) Bryan Murray stepped down and assistant GM Pierre Dorion became GM. Head coach Dave Cameron and the coaching staff were fired two days later.

Off-season

Leading up to the off-season, the media frequently speculated about what the Ottawa Senators would and could do with their surplus of goaltenders. They had recently signed Andrew Hammond, who had had an outstanding 2014–15 season, to a three-year contract and college graduate Matt O'Connor to an entry-level contract. They already had starter Craig Anderson, who was signed until the end of the 2017–18 season, and backup Robin Lehner, considered to be an outstanding future starter, who was signed until the end of the 2016–17 season, and prospect Chris Driedger in the minors.

The logjam at the goaltending position was resolved on June 26, when general manager Bryan Murray completed a trade that saw Robin Lehner and forward David Legwand go to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for the 21st overall pick (acquired by Buffalo from the New York Islanders in the Matt Moulson-Thomas Vanek trade) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. The Senators would use the pick to select right winger Colin White, who played for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program's under-18 team. White is committed to attend Boston College beginning in the fall of 2015. The inclusion of Legwand in the trade was done to free up salary cap space to re-sign several players.

On June 27, Murray completed another trade, sending defenceman Eric Gryba to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for prospect forward Travis Ewanyk and a fourth-round 2015 draft pick, 107th overall, which the Senators used to select defenceman Christian Wolanin of the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the United States Hockey League (USHL). Wolanin will play for the University of North Dakota in the 2015–16 season.

On July 7, the Senators re-signed Luke Richardson to a one-year contract extension to remain head coach of their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Binghamton Senators, for the 2015–16 season. Richardson has been head coach of Binghamton since the 2010–11 season. In his first season at the helm, he led Binghamton to a 44–24–1–7 record, placing them fourth in the Eastern Conference. The team would end up winning the 2011 Calder Cup.

On July 26, an arbitrator awarded RFA right-winger Alex Chiasson a one-year contract worth $1.2 million. TSN Hockey Insider Frank Seravalli reported that Chiasson asked for a $2.475 million in his hearing that occurred on July 23 while the Senators countered with a $1 million offer.

On August 3, an arbitrator awarded RFA left-winger Mike Hoffman a one-year contract worth $2 million. Hoffman submitted a request for a one-year contract worth $3.4 million while the Senators offered a one-year, $1.75 million contract.

On September 5, the Canadian Press reported Senators defenceman Chris Phillips had suffered a major setback in his return to action after having back surgery back in April 2015. Phillips confirmed the report by informing Ottawa Sun sports columnist Bruce Garrioch that he cracked a disc in his back and there is currently no timetable for his return.

On September 17, the Senators announced that Daniel Alfredsson had returned to the organization. He will be the team's senior advisor of hockey operations. He reports to Bryan Murray.

Pre-season

The Ottawa Senators played an eight-game preseason schedule beginning on Monday, September 21, 2015, and finishing on Saturday, October 3, 2015. The schedule featured split squad games against the Toronto Maple Leafs and home-and-home series against the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens. It also featured a game against the Carolina Hurricanes taking place in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Regular season

The Senators began their season on the road in Buffalo, against the Sabres at the First Niagara Center. The home opener took place at the Canadian Tire Centre on October 11, 2015, against the Montreal Canadiens. The team concluded the home part of their schedule on April 7, 2016, against the Florida Panthers. Their final game of the regular season took place on April 9, 2016, at TD Garden in Boston.

On Sunday, October 11, 2015, rookie goaltender Matt O'Connor made his NHL debut against the Montreal Canadiens in a 3–1 loss. The goaltender for the Canadiens that night was rookie goaltender Mike Condon. This marked the first time that two NHL rookie goaltenders made their NHL debuts in the same game since October 14, 1967 when Wayne Rutledge of the Los Angeles Kings faced Doug Favell of the Philadelphia Flyers.

In February 2016, the Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs made a sensational trade of nine players and a draft pick. The Senators acquired Toronto captain Dion Phaneuf, plus Matt Frattin and three prospects, in exchange for Jared Cowen, Colin Greening, Milan Michalek, prospect Tobias Lindberg and a second-round 2017 draft pick. The two rival teams interests coincided for a rare trade between the two. The Maple Leafs wished to trade Phaneuf to rid the team of his contract. Similarly, the Senators wanted to move Cowen and Greening and Michalek. After the trade, Cowen revealed he had requested a trade; he had become a regular healthy scratch for the team. Greening had lost his NHL job, but had a one-way contract, and Michalek had a relatively high $4 million per season contract. Frattin was not transferred from the AHL Toronto Marlies to Binghamton, he remained with the Marlies on a loan.

Playoffs

The Senators failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, after being eliminated on March 30, 2016.

Standings

Atlantic Division

Pos	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	ROW	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	y – Florida Panthers	82	47	26	9	40	239	203	+36	103
2	x – Tampa Bay Lightning	82	46	31	5	43	227	201	+26	97
3	x – Detroit Red Wings	82	41	30	11	39	211	224	−13	93
4	Boston Bruins	82	42	31	9	38	240	230	+10	93
5	Ottawa Senators	82	38	35	9	32	236	247	−11	85
6	Montreal Canadiens	82	38	38	6	33	221	236	−15	82
7	Buffalo Sabres	82	35	36	11	33	201	222	−21	81
8	Toronto Maple Leafs	82	29	42	11	23	198	246	−48	69

Source: National Hockey League
x – Clinched playoff spot; y – Clinched division

Eastern Conference Wild Card

Pos	Div	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	ROW	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	ME	x – New York Islanders	82	45	27	10	40	232	216	+16	100
2	ME	x – Philadelphia Flyers	82	41	27	14	38	214	218	−4	96
3	AT	Boston Bruins	82	42	31	9	38	240	230	+10	93
4	ME	Carolina Hurricanes	82	35	31	16	33	198	226	−28	86
5	AT	Ottawa Senators	82	38	35	9	32	236	247	−11	85
6	ME	New Jersey Devils	82	38	36	8	36	184	208	−24	84
7	AT	Montreal Canadiens	82	38	38	6	33	221	236	−15	82
8	AT	Buffalo Sabres	82	35	36	11	33	201	222	−21	81
9	ME	Columbus Blue Jackets	82	34	40	8	28	219	252	−33	76
10	AT	Toronto Maple Leafs	82	29	42	11	23	198	246	−48	69

Source: National Hockey League
x – Clinched playoff spot

Schedule and results

Pre-season

2015 Pre-Season: 3–3–2 (Home: 1–1–1; Road: 2–2–1)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Recap
1	September 21	Ottawa (SS)	1–4	Toronto (SS)		Hammond	16,734	0–1–0
2	September 21	Toronto (SS)	4–3	Ottawa (SS)	OT	O'Connor	15,542	0–1–1
3	September 23	Ottawa	5–2	Buffalo		O'Connor	17,298	1–1–1
4	September 26	Buffalo	6–4	Ottawa		Anderson	16,738	1–2–1
5	September 27	Ottawa	1–2	Carolina (St. John's, NL)		Hammond	––	1–3–1
6	September 29	Ottawa	3–4	Winnipeg	OT	Hammond	15,294	1–3–2
7	October 1	Ottawa	5–2	Montreal		Anderson	21,287	2–3–2
8	October 3	Montreal	4–5	Ottawa		O'Connor	17,912	3–3–2

Regular season

2015–16 Regular Season
October: 5–4–2 (Home: 1–3–2; Road: 4–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 8 Ottawa 3–1 Buffalo Anderson 19,070 1–0–0 2 2 October 10 Ottawa 5–4 Toronto SO Anderson 19,187 2–0–0 4 3 October 11 Montreal 3–1 Ottawa O'Connor 19,177 2–1–0 4 4 October 14 Ottawa 7–3 Columbus Anderson 13,803 3–1–0 6 5 October 15 Ottawa 0–2 Pittsburgh Anderson 18,486 3–2–0 6 6 October 17 Nashville 4–3 Ottawa SO Anderson 16,895 3–2–1 7 7 October 22 New Jersey 5–4 Ottawa SO Hammond 16,578 3–2–2 8 8 October 24 Arizona 4–1 Ottawa Anderson 17,270 3–3–2 8 9 October 28 Calgary 4–5 Ottawa SO Anderson 16,923 4–3–2 10 10 October 30 Ottawa 3–1 Detroit Hammond 20,027 5–3–2 12 11 October 31 Detroit 5–3 Ottawa Anderson 16,964 5–4–2 12
November: 7–2–3 (Home: 4–0–2; Road: 3–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 12 November 3 Ottawa 2–1 Montreal OT Anderson 21,288 6–4–2 14 13 November 5 Winnipeg 2–3 Ottawa SO Anderson 17,195 7–4–2 16 14 November 7 Ottawa 2–3 Carolina OT Hammond 10,005 7–4–3 17 15 November 10 Ottawa 5–7 Nashville Anderson 16,963 7–5–3 17 16 November 12 Vancouver 2–3 Ottawa Hammond 19,229 8–5–3 19 17 November 14 NY Rangers 2–1 Ottawa SO Anderson 19,310 8–5–4 20 18 November 16 Detroit 4–3 Ottawa OT Anderson 16,718 8–5–5 21 19 November 19 Columbus 0–3 Ottawa Anderson 16,925 9–5–5 23 20 November 21 Philadelphia 0–4 Ottawa Anderson 18,578 10–5–5 25 21 November 24 Ottawa 7–4 Dallas Anderson 18,532 11–5–5 27 22 November 25 Ottawa 5–3 Colorado Anderson 16,570 12–5–5 29 23 November 28 Ottawa 3–4 Arizona Anderson 12,727 12–6–5 29
December: 6–8–1 (Home: 5–2–0; Road: 1–6–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 24 December 1 Philadelphia 4–2 Ottawa Anderson 17,010 12–7–5 29 25 December 3 Chicago 3–4 Ottawa OT Anderson 17,171 13–7–5 31 26 December 5 NY Islanders 2–3 Ottawa OT Anderson 17,281 14–7–5 33 27 December 6 Ottawa 1–4 NY Rangers Anderson 18,006 14–8–5 33 28 December 8 Ottawa 4–2 Florida Anderson 11,571 15–8–5 35 29 December 10 Ottawa 1–4 Tampa Bay Anderson 19,092 15–9–5 35 30 December 12 Ottawa 1–3 Montreal Anderson 21,288 15–10–5 35 31 December 14 Los Angeles 3–5 Ottawa Anderson 17,829 16–10–5 37 32 December 16 Ottawa 1–2 Washington Hammond 18,506 16–11–5 37 33 December 18 San Jose 2–4 Ottawa Anderson 17,990 17–11–5 39 34 December 20 Ottawa 2–5 Tampa Bay Hammond 19,092 17–12–5 39 35 December 22 Ottawa 1–2 Florida SO Anderson 14,538 17–12–6 40 36 December 27 Boston 1–3 Ottawa Anderson 20,061 18–12–6 42 37 December 29 Ottawa 3–7 Boston Anderson 17,565 18–13–6 42 38 December 30 New Jersey 3–0 Ottawa Hammond 19,825 18–14–6 42
January: 5–7–0 (Home: 2–3–0; Road: 3–4–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 39 January 3 Ottawa 0–3 Chicago Anderson 22,016 18–15–6 42 40 January 4 Ottawa 3–2 St. Louis OT Hammond 19,152 19–15–6 44 41 January 7 Florida 3–2 Ottawa Anderson 17,150 19–16–6 44 42 January 9 Boston 1–2 Ottawa OT Anderson 19,125 20–16–6 46 43 January 10 Ottawa 1–7 Washington Hammond 18,506 20–17–6 46 44 January 13 Ottawa 1–4 Anaheim Anderson 15,791 20–18–6 46 45 January 16 Ottawa 5–3 Los Angeles Anderson 18,230 21–18–6 48 46 January 18 Ottawa 4–3 San Jose SO Anderson 16,619 22–18–6 50 47 January 21 Ottawa 3–6 New Jersey Anderson 14,772 22–19–6 50 48 January 22 NY Islanders 5–2 Ottawa Hammond 18,305 22–20–6 50 49 January 24 NY Rangers 0–3 Ottawa Anderson 18,940 23–20–6 52 50 January 26 Buffalo 3–2 Ottawa Anderson 16,815 23–21–6 52
February: 7–6–0 (Home: 5–2–0; Road: 2–4–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 51 February 2 Ottawa 5–6 Pittsburgh Anderson 18,420 23–22–6 52 52 February 4 Edmonton 7–2 Ottawa Anderson 18,564 23–23–6 52 53 February 6 Toronto 1–6 Ottawa Anderson 19,379 24–23–6 54 54 February 8 Tampa Bay 1–5 Ottawa Anderson 17,078 25–23–6 56 55 February 10 Ottawa 1–3 Detroit Anderson 20,027 25–24–6 56 56 February 11 Colorado 4–3 Ottawa Hammond 17,632 25–25–6 56 57 February 13 Ottawa 2–4 Columbus Anderson 16,164 25–26–6 56 58 February 16 Buffalo 1–2 Ottawa SO Anderson 15,893 26–26–6 58 59 February 18 Carolina 2–4 Ottawa Anderson 16,994 27–26–6 60 60 February 20 Detroit 2–3 Ottawa SO Anderson 18,930 28–26–6 62 61 February 23 Ottawa 4–1 Edmonton Anderson 16,839 29–26–6 64 62 February 25 Ottawa 3–5 Vancouver Anderson 18,570 29–27–6 64 63 February 27 Ottawa 6–4 Calgary Anderson 19,289 30–27–6 66
March: 6–6–3 (Home: 3–3–2; Road: 3–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 64 March 1 St. Louis 4–3 Ottawa SO Hammond 17,207 30–27–7 67 65 March 3 Tampa Bay 4–1 Ottawa Hammond 17,943 30–28–7 67 66 March 5 Ottawa 3–2 Toronto Hammond 19,339 31–28–7 69 67 March 6 Dallas 2–1 Ottawa Hammond 19,419 31–29–7 69 68 March 8 Ottawa 3–4 Carolina SO Hammond 10,743 31–29–8 70 69 March 10 Ottawa 2–6 Florida Anderson 15,051 31–30–8 70 70 March 12 Toronto 0–4 Ottawa Anderson 18,557 32–30–8 72 71 March 15 Minnesota 2–3 Ottawa OT Anderson 18,966 33–30–8 74 72 March 18 Ottawa 1–3 Buffalo Anderson 19,070 33–31–8 74 73 March 19 Montreal 0–5 Ottawa Hammond 19,722 34–31–8 76 74 March 22 Washington 4–2 Ottawa Anderson 19,313 34–32–8 76 75 March 23 Ottawa 1–3 NY Islanders Hammond 13,837 34–33–8 76 76 March 26 Anaheim 4–3 Ottawa OT Anderson 18,162 34–33–9 77 77 March 30 Ottawa 2–1 Winnipeg Hammond 15,294 35–33–9 79 78 March 31 Ottawa 3–2 Minnesota Anderson 19,032 36–33–9 81
April: 2–2–0 (Home: 1–1–0; Road: 1–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 79 April 2 Ottawa 2–3 Philadelphia Hammond 19,578 36–34–9 81 80 April 5 Pittsburgh 5–3 Ottawa Hammond 19,284 36–35–9 81 81 April 7 Florida 1–3 Ottawa Anderson 19,165 37–35–9 83 82 April 9 Ottawa 6–1 Boston Hammond 17,565 38–35–9 85
Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Overtime/shootout loss (1 point)

Players

Statistics

Final stats

Scoring

Regular Season

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	+/−	PIM
Erik Karlsson	82	16	66	82	−2	50
Mark Stone	75	23	38	61	-4	38
Mike Hoffman	78	29	30	59	1	18
Bobby Ryan	81	22	34	56	−9	28
Mika Zibanejad	81	21	30	51	−2	18
Jean-Gabriel Pageau	82	19	24	43	17	26
Zack Smith	81	25	11	36	16	80
Kyle Turris	57	13	17	30	−15	32
Cody Ceci	75	10	16	26	9	18
Curtis Lazar	76	6	14	20	−1	18
Alex Chiasson	77	8	6	14	2	45
Chris Wideman	64	6	7	13	4	34
Chris Neil	80	5	8	13	−3	165
Marc Methot	69	5	7	12	12	34
Shane Prince‡	42	3	9	12	2	6
Milan Michalek‡	32	6	4	10	1	12
Ryan Dzingel	30	3	6	9	4	11
Dion Phaneuf†	20	1	7	8	−3	23
Nick Paul	24	2	3	5	−3	6
Patrick Wiercioch	52	0	5	5	2	24
Max McCormick	20	2	2	4	−4	37
David Dziurzynski	14	1	3	4	−4	9
Jared Cowen‡	37	0	4	4	7	16
Matt Puempel	26	2	1	3	−3	9
Buddy Robinson	3	1	1	2	2	4
Mark Borowiecki	63	1	1	2	−4	107
Fredrik Claesson	16	0	2	2	−6	2
Phil Varone†	1	0	1	1	1	0
Ben Harpur	5	0	1	1	1	2
Scott Gomez†	13	0	1	1	−3	2
Michael Kostka	15	0	1	1	6	4
Clarke MacArthur	4	0	0	0	−1	0
Colin Greening‡	1	0	0	0	0	0

Goaltenders

Regular Season

Player	GP	GS	TOI	W	L	OT	GA	GAA	SA	SV%	SO	G	A	PIM
Craig Anderson	60	60	3,477:08	31	23	5	161	2.78	1,915	.916	4	0	2	0
Andrew Hammond	24	21	1,382:19	7	11	4	61	2.65	712	.914	1	0	0	2
Matthew O'Connor	1	1	58:02	0	1	0	3	3.10	34	.912	0	0	0	0
Chris Driedger	1	0	31:49	0	0	0	0	0.00	11	1.000	0	0	0	0

^†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Senators. Stats reflect time with the Senators only.
^‡No longer with team.
Bold/italics denotes team leader in that category.

Awards

Regular Season

Player	Award	Awarded
Erik Karlsson	NHL All-Star game selection	January 6, 2016
Erik Karlsson	NHL Second Star of the Week	February 8, 2016
Craig Anderson	NHL Third Star of the Week	February 22, 2016

Milestones

Player	Milestone	Date
Kyle Turris	400th NHL game	October 10, 2015
Matt O'Connor	1st NHL game 1st NHL start	October 11, 2015
Milan Michalek	700th NHL game	October 11, 2015
Erik Karlsson	400th NHL game	October 11, 2015
Chris Wideman	1st NHL game	October 17, 2015
Chris Neil	900th NHL game	October 22, 2015
Max McCormick	1st NHL game	October 22, 2015
Kyle Turris	100th NHL goal	October 31, 2015
Bobby Ryan	400th NHL point	October 31, 2015
Craig Anderson	100th win as a member of the Ottawa Senators	November 3, 2015
Jean-Gabriel Pageau	100th NHL game	November 5, 2015
Chris Wideman	1st NHL goal 1st NHL point	November 7, 2015
Shane Prince	1st NHL goal	November 25, 2015
Marc Methot	100th NHL point	November 28, 2015
David Dziurzynski	1st NHL assist	December 6, 2015
Mark Stone	100th NHL point	December 14, 2015
Ryan Dzingel	1st NHL game	December 22, 2015
Max McCormick	1st NHL assist 1st NHL point	December 29, 2015
Fredrik Claesson	1st NHL game	December 30, 2015
Curtis Lazar	100th NHL game	December 30, 2015
Alex Chiasson	200th NHL game	December 30, 2015
Bobby Ryan	200th NHL goal	January 4, 2016
Chris Wideman	1st NHL assist	January 4, 2016
Max McCormick	1st NHL goal	January 7, 2016
Craig Anderson	200th NHL win	January 16, 2016
Patrick Wiercioch	200th NHL game	January 24, 2016
Ryan Dzingel	1st NHL assist 1st NHL point	February 6, 2016
Ryan Dzingel	1st NHL goal	February 16, 2016
Nick Paul	1st NHL game	February 16, 2016
Nick Paul	1st NHL assist 1st NHL point	February 18, 2016
Nick Paul	1st NHL goal	February 23, 2016
Zack Smith	100th NHL point	February 27, 2016
Mike Hoffman	100th NHL point	February 27, 2016
Marc Methot	500th NHL game	March 6, 2016
Bobby Ryan	600th NHL game	March 23, 2016
Cody Ceci	200th NHL game	March 30, 2016
Ben Harpur	1st NHL game	March 31, 2016
Buddy Robinson	1st NHL game	April 5, 2016
Erik Karlsson	100th NHL goal	April 5, 2016
Ben Harpur	1st NHL assist 1st NHL point	April 5, 2016
Fredrik Claesson	1st NHL assist 1st NHL point	April 5, 2016
Buddy Robinson	1st NHL goal 1st NHL point	April 7, 2016
Zack Smith	400th NHL game	April 9, 2016
Buddy Robinson	1st NHL assist	April 9, 2016
Team	Milestone	Date
Ottawa Senators	5000th goal in franchise history (Scored by Jean-Gabriel Pageau)	October 11, 2015
Ottawa Senators	800th win	December 14, 2015
Ottawa Senators	1800th game	February 20, 2016

Records

Team	Record	Date
Ottawa Senators	Franchise record for most shots allowed in one period (27)	December 12, 2015
Player	Record	Date
Mika Zibanejad	Franchise record for scoring the quickest hat-trick (2:38)	February 27, 2016

Transactions

Trades

Date	Details		Reference
June 26, 2015 (2015-06-26)	To Buffalo Sabres Robin Lehner David Legwand	To Ottawa Senators NYI's 1st-round pick (21st overall) in 2015
June 27, 2015 (2015-06-27)	To Edmonton Oilers Eric Gryba	To Ottawa Senators Travis Ewanyk PIT's 4th-round pick (107th overall) in 2015
June 27, 2015 (2015-06-27)	To New Jersey Devils DAL's 2nd-round pick (42nd overall) in 2015 4th-round pick in 2016	To Ottawa Senators 2nd-round pick (36th overall) in 2015
January 14, 2016 (2016-01-14)	To Nashville Predators Patrick Mullen	To Ottawa Senators Conor Allen
February 9, 2016 (2016-02-09)	To Toronto Maple Leafs Jared Cowen Milan Michalek Colin Greening Tobias Lindberg 2nd-round pick in 2017	To Ottawa Senators Dion Phaneuf Matt Frattin Casey Bailey Ryan Rupert Cody Donaghey
February 27, 2016 (2016-02-27)	To Buffalo Sabres Eric O'Dell Cole Schneider Alex Guptill Michael Sdao	To Ottawa Senators Jason Akeson Phil Varone Jérôme Gauthier-Leduc
February 29, 2016 (2016-02-29)	To Minnesota Wild Conor Allen	To Ottawa Senators Michael Keranen
February 29, 2016 (2016-02-29)	To New York Islanders Shane Prince 7th-round pick in 2016	To Ottawa Senators 3rd-round pick in 2016

Free agents acquired

Date	Player	Former team	Contract terms (in U.S. dollars)	Ref
July 1, 2015 (2015-07-01)	Eric O'Dell	Winnipeg Jets	One-year, two-way, $700,000
July 1, 2015 (2015-07-01)	Zack Stortini	Philadelphia Flyers	Two-year, two-way, $1.2 million
July 1, 2015 (2015-07-01)	Michael Kostka	New York Rangers	One-year, two-way, $800,000
September 28, 2015 (2015-09-28)	Mark Fraser	New Jersey Devils	One-year, two-way, $800,000
March 2, 2016 (2016-03-02)	Scott Gomez	Rochester Americans	One-year, $575,000
May 24, 2016 (2016-05-24)	Tom Pyatt	Geneve-Servette HC	One-year, two-way $800,000

Free agents lost

Date	Player	New team	Contract terms (in U.S. dollars)	Ref
July 1, 2015 (2015-07-01)	Erik Condra	Tampa Bay Lightning	3 years, $3.75 million
July 1, 2015 (2015-07-01)	Derek Grant	Calgary Flames	1 year, two-way, $700,000
July 2, 2015 (2015-07-02)	Alex Grant	Arizona Coyotes	1-year, two-way, $600,000

Player signings

Date	Player	Contract terms (in U.S. dollars)	Ref
June 29, 2015 (2015-06-29)	Chris Wideman	One-year, two-way, $600,000
June 30, 2015 (2015-06-030)	Patrick Mullen	One-year, two-way, $600,000
July 2, 2015 (2015-07-02)	Cole Schneider	One-year, two-way, $700,000
July 15, 2015 (2015-07-15)	Shane Prince	One-year, two-way, $700,000
July 26, 2015 (2015-07-26)	Alex Chiasson	One-year, $1.2 million
August 3, 2015 (2015-08-03)	Mike Hoffman	One-year, $2 million
September 30, 2015 (2015-09-30)	Thomas Chabot	Three-year, entry-level contract
February 24, 2016 (2016-02-24)	Chris Wideman	Two-year, $1.6 million contract extension
February 27, 2016 (2016-02-27)	Chris Neil	One-year, $1.5 million contract extension
March 15, 2016 (2016-03-15)	Francis Perron	Three-year, entry-level contract
April 1, 2016 (2016-04-01)	Macoy Erkamps	Three-year, entry-level contract
April 5, 2016 (2016-04-05)	Andreas Englund	Three-year, entry-level contract
June 23, 2016 (2016-06-23)	Buddy Robinson	One-year

Suspensions/fines

Player	Reason	Length	Salary	Date issued
Mark Stone	An illegal check to the head of Detroit Red Wings forward Landon Ferraro during NHL game no. 158 in Ottawa on October 31	2 games	$37,634.40	November 2, 2015
Zack Smith	Diving/embellishment during NHL game no. 422 in Tampa Bay on December 10	–	$2,000.00	December 17, 2015

Draft picks

See also: List of Ottawa Senators draft picks

Below are the Ottawa Senators' selections at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, held on June 26–27, 2015, at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida. The day before the draft, the Senators traded goaltender Robin Lehner and David Legwand to the Buffalo Sabres to pick up a second first-round pick. On the second day of the draft, the Senators traded with the New Jersey Devils, moving up from the 42nd overall pick to the 36th overall pick to get Gabriel Gagne. The Senators then traded Eric Gryba to the Edmonton Oilers to pick up a player and the fourth-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs (107th overall) to select Christian Wolanin.

Round	Overall	Player	Position	Nationality	Club team
1	18	Thomas Chabot	Defence	Canada	Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
1	21a	Colin White	Centre	United States	U.S. National Team Development Program (USHL)
2	36b	Gabriel Gagne	Right wing	Canada	Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL)
2	48	Filip Chlapik	Centre	Czech Republic	Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL)
4	107c	Christian Wolanin	Defence	Canada	Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
4	109	Filip Ahl	Left wing	Sweden	HV71 (J20 SuperElit)
5	139	Christian Jaros	Defence	Slovakia	Lulea HF (J20 SuperElit)
7	199	Joel Daccord	Goaltender	United States	Cushing Academy (USHS–MA)

Draft notes

• ^a The New York Islanders' first-round pick went to the Ottawa Senators as the result of a trade on June 26, 2015 that sent Robin Lehner and David Legwand to Buffalo in exchange for this pick.

  Buffalo previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on October 27, 2013 that sent Thomas Vanek to New York in exchange for Matt Moulson, a second-round pick in 2015 and this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade). The condition – Buffalo will receive a first-round pick in 2014 or 2015 at New York's choice – was converted on May 22, 2014 when the Islanders elected to keep their 2014 first-round pick.

• ^b The New Jersey Devils' second-round pick went to the Ottawa Senators as the result of a trade on June 27, 2015 that sent Dallas' second-round pick in 2015 (42nd overall) and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2015 or 2016 to New Jersey in exchange for this pick.
• The Ottawa Senators' third-round pick went to the Edmonton Oilers as the result of a trade on March 5, 2014 that sent Ales Hemsky to Ottawa in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and this pick.
• ^c The Pittsburgh Penguins' fourth-round pick went to the Ottawa Senators as the result of a trade on June 27, 2015 that sent Eric Gryba to Edmonton in exchange for Travis Ewanyk and this pick.

  Edmonton previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on June 27, 2015 that sent Martin Marincin to Toronto in exchange for Brad Ross and this pick.

  Toronto previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on February 25, 2015 that sent Daniel Winnik to Pittsburgh in exchange for Zach Sill, a second-round pick in 2016 and this pick.

• The Ottawa Senators' sixth-round pick went to the Carolina Hurricanes as the result of a trade on December 18, 2014 that sent Jay Harrison to Winnipeg in exchange for this pick. Winnipeg previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on June 28, 2014 that sent a seventh-round pick in 2014 to Ottawa in exchange for this pick.