Florida Panthers vs Ottawa Senators Picks and Prediction for Wednesday October 21, 2026
The Florida Panthers will travel to Ottawa, Ontario, Wednesday night for an Atlantic Division matchup against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM, with coverage available on ESPN+. Florida comes into this matchup 5-2-2 on the year, riding a three-game winning streak after a 5-goal victory against Seattle in their last outing. Ottawa will return home Wednesday night 6-3 this season, though they have dropped two of the last three after a two-goal road loss to Philadelphia. The Panthers come into this game as a -112 road favorite. Ottawa is a -108, and the total is 5.5. Stay in the news with our NHL Picks.
Florida looks to keep it rolling
The Florida Panthers offense has carried them this season, averaging 3.33 goals on 29.3 shots per game, and they have scored 18 total goals across their current three-game winning streak. Defensively, Florida has been just as strong, holding opponents to 2.78 goals on 24 shots per game this year. Matthew Tkachuk is leading the Florida offense this season with 14 points, and he has boasted a team-leading 11 assists. Seth Jones and Brady Tkachuk are tied for second on the roster with 10 points, and Tkachuk leads the team with 6 goals. Carter Verhaeghe and Sam Reinhart are both tied for third on the team, having scored eight points each.
Jacob Markstrom did the work in the net for Florida in their last outing, giving up three goals on 23 shots to post an .870 save percentage in the game. Sam Bennett and Carter Verhaeghe led all scorers for Florida as both scored 3 goals each. Sam Reinhart and Niko Mikkola both chipped in heavily with one goal and one assist each.
Key Injury Report for Florida:
- Radko Gudas (Day-To-Day) - Oct 21
- Brad Marchand (IR) – Nov 21
- Aleksander Barkov (IR-LT) – Nov 27
- Jonah Gadjovich (IR-LT) – Nov 28
Ottawa looks to lean on the home crowd
The Ottawa Senators offense has been solid enough, averaging 2.44 goals on 23.1 shots. Defensively, Ottawa has been much better, holding opponents to 2.56 goals on 26.2 shots, but they've given up 10 total goals across their last two losses. Tim Stutzle is leading Ottawa this season with 12 points, five goals, and seven assists. Claude Giroux, Drake Batherson, and Shane Pinto are all tied for second on the roster, having scored six points apiece.
Linus Ullmark was terrible in the net for Ottawa last game, giving up two goals on 27 shots to post a .926 save percentage in just under 58 minutes before Philadelphia found the empty net as well. Drake Batherson led the way for the Ottawa offense with one goal on four shots in nearly 20 minutes of game time.
Key Injury Report for Ottawa:
- Jake Sanderson (Day-to-Day) - Oct 21
- Thomas Chabot (Day-to-Day) - Oct 21
- William Eklund (IR) – Jan 5
- Kurtic MacDermid (IR-NR) – Oct 31
Florida Panthers vs Ottawa Senators Picks and Prediction
Pick: Ottawa Senators -108
Ottawa has an excellent opportunity to pick up an important home victory Wednesday night against a Florida team dealing with some significant injuries. The Panthers have struggled to generate consistent offensive production without Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand, putting additional pressure on their remaining forwards to create scoring opportunities. Ottawa should exploit those offensive limitations by maintaining pressure in the neutral zone and forcing Florida into difficult situations. The Senators also have the offensive talent to challenge the Panthers defensively, particularly if they can establish a physical presence around the net. Florida has enough experience to make this a competitive matchup, but Ottawa's home-ice advantage and ability to generate scoring chances should make the difference. Take the Senators to secure the victory.
Pick: Under 5.5
Florida's offensive struggles and Ottawa's ability to play disciplined hockey could make Wednesday's matchup a relatively low-scoring contest. The Panthers have been forced to rely on their defensive structure while dealing with injuries to several important offensive contributors, making it difficult to consistently generate quality scoring opportunities. Ottawa should look to establish possession and limit Florida's opportunities in transition rather than allowing the Panthers to create chances off turnovers. The Senators have also demonstrated the ability to protect their defensive zone and make opposing teams work for their scoring opportunities. Florida will need to remain patient offensively and avoid taking unnecessary chances that could lead to Ottawa scoring opportunities. Expect both teams to emphasize defensive positioning and puck possession, keeping the overall scoring relatively low.