Since joining the NHL as an expansion team in 1992, the Ottawa Senators have grown into a beloved ice hockey franchise. Fans love the team for its history, tracing back to the 1890s, and for representing Ottawa on the ice. More than that, the team’s attitude and underdog position, combined with intense rivalries, make the Sens worthy of fanship. Find out who the Senators’ biggest rival is, and why it’s so important.
The Battle of Ontario: Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Ottawa Senators’ biggest rival is the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs have a larger national presence, but the Sens still command a dedicated fanbase. With the two cities less than 5 hours apart, the rivalry is always heated in what is called “The Battle of Ontario.” It’s one of the most intense rivalries in Canadian hockey history.
The ongoing battle has had a total of 181 meetings since 1992. So far, the stats stand at 20-10 (TOR) in the postseason.
In the early 2000s, the rivalry began at a fever pitch. During the regular season, the Senators commanded a clear lead in the winning record. But when the two teams faced off for the first time at the postseason payoffs, the upset began. They gave each other a run for their money, but ultimately, Toronto came out on top. And they did it again, and again, and again, winning four playoff series against Ottawa from 2000 to 2004.
Each win solidified Ottawa fans’ hate against Toronto and Leafs’ fans hate against the Sens, especially since the two teams frequently brawled on the ice. While the Senators set themselves up with a strong record in the regular season, they were repeatedly quashed by the Maple Leafs in the postseason. Sens fans grew to hate the Toronto team. Leafs fans grew to mock the Ottawa team.
1999-2000 Season
Ottawa Back in the Running
After a few mediocre seasons, the Sens finally finished strong enough in the regular season to reach the playoffs, a monumental occasion for fans.
2000 Playoffs
First Postseason Matchup and Immediate Rivalry
The Leafs, already an accomplished post-season team, faced off with the Sens. Toronto crushed Ottawa’s dreams, defeating them in Game 6. Sens fans’ hate against the Leafs crystallizes.
2001 Playoffs
Round 2
Despite another strong regular-season record, the Sens are again handily defeated by the Leafs in a four-game sweep.
2002 Playoffs
Round 3
The Senators hold their own for longer against the Leafs, closing the gap in performance. Ultimately, they lose yet again in Game 7.
2003-04 Season
Ottawa Gears Up
Once again, the Senators perform exceptionally well in the regular season, preparing to hit the Leafs with everything they’ve got in the postseason.
2004 Playoffs
Defeat
Ottawa won a single game against Toronto before succumbing to the Maple Leafs’ attacks and losing in Game 7.
2005-2024
The Heart Grows Fonder?
Neither team had been eligible for the postseason at the same time in all these years, bringing the rivalry to a simmer.
2025 Playoffs
We Meet Again, Old Friend
For the first time in over 20 years, the two teams faced off again. Ultimately, Ottawa failed once again, losing in Game 6. Sens fans renew their eternal feud against the Maple Leafs.
In 2025, the rivalry heated up again with players from each team taking shots at one another, both on scoring goals and in straight-up attacks. Jake Sanderson (Sens) shamed the Leafs with an OT slapshot straight through their defence, winning Game 4. Sens player Ridley Grieg received a cross-check to the head in response to his empty-net goal in 2024, and he has since retaliated with even more hostility. Several Leafs players have made it their mission to antagonize the Ottawa team as much as they can.
It’s a passionate city. They want a winner. And I’m the exact same way.
- Travis Green, former Maple Leafs player, current Senators coach
Though the rivalry is ongoing, it’s not as volatile as it was when it formed at the beginning of the 21st century. If and when the two teams cross paths in the postseason more often, it will flare up as it once did. If one team goes on to win the Conference or, better yet, the Stanley Cup, the losing side will never live it down.
The Ottawa Senators vs. Montreal Canadiens Rivalry
The rivalry between Ottawa and Montreal is deeper than just the sport – it’s cultural. The cities are only about 2.5 hours apart, and the thing that typically sets Montreal apart from other Canadian cities is its dedicated use of French. But about 40% of Ottawans also speak French, so the Quebecois can’t claim a cultural one-up.
The Canadiens boast the status as the oldest, most accomplished hockey team in the NHL, with 24 Stanley Cup wins since their founding in 1909. No other team comes close to that record; the team with the second most wins are the Maple Leafs with 13. The fact that the newer, less-accomplished Senators have threatened the team is a huge blow to the Habs' ego.
The tension between Ottawa and Montreal is a newer one that’s currently picking up heat. The two teams have been friendly competitors for over a century, but in 2013, things changed. It was the first postseason matchup in 86 years, and the teams discovered a lot of pent-up aggression
In Game 1, Senators coach Paul MacLean defended his player, Eric Gryba, after he bodychecked Habs player Lars Eller so hard that he needed hospitalization. The rest of the series was full of brawls and heated verbal exchanges. The Senators won the postseason matchup in Game 5, adding insult to injury for the Canadiens.
In 2015, the two teams faced off again in the postseason. This time, the Canadiens overcame the Sens through skill and on-ice violence. Habs player P.K. Subban slashed Sens rookie Mark Stone and broke his wrist. In the end, the Canadiens won the series, putting a bitter taste in the Senators’ mouths. Both teams have something to prove against one another, and whenever their next match is, it’s sure to be volatile.
Both teams are also stocking up on young talent, ensuring the rivalry survives to a new generation. Canadians team captain, Nick Suzuki, one of the best hockey players today, works to keep the team in fighting shape. It could blow up into one of the biggest ice hockey rivalries in recent years.
These two teams have developed a strong dislike for one another... both are trending towards being combatants near the top of the Atlantic Division standings for the next several years... It’s going to get nastier between them...
Eric Engels, on the Canadiens v Senators rivalry, SportsNet
Other Notable Rivalries Involving the Ottawa Senators
Is it enough to have two notable rivalries? No! Hockey is all about puffed-up teams and fanbases challenging each other in organized chaos with a sprinkle of instinctual aggression on top. It’s what players want, it’s what fans want. What other sport is characterized as such?
Ottawa Senators vs. New Jersey Devils
In the 2003 Eastern Conference Final, the Devils defeated the Senators in seven games. The series was close and defensive, with two of Ottawa’s wins happening in overtime, and three wins decided by only one goal. But the Devils struck the final blow, eliminating the Senators from reaching the Stanley Cup Final.
In 2007, the Senators ruined the Devils’ glory by spoiling their premiere match at their new arena, The Prudential Center in Newark. It was the inaugural match, and the Senators not only scored the first-ever goal in the arena, but also the first win. The two teams have a deep-seated beef over glory and respect.
Ottawa Senators vs. Buffalo Sabres
The two teams had a healthy rivalry for most of their history, with a 30-year relationship. The tension picked up in the Stanley Cup Playoffs between 1997 and 2006, when they faced off three times, each time resulting in a Sabres win. However, in 2007, the teams ended up in a huge on-ice, all-out brawl. Notably, the two goaltenders traded blows while other players skirmished across the rink. The coaches got in a screaming match, and overall, there was chaos.
Later that year, the teams met for the Eastern Conference Finals, and the Sens eliminated the Sabres, despite their recent President’s Trophy win. It sent the Sens to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in the franchise’s history.
Factors That Intensify Hockey Rivalries
What creates a hockey rivalry, and what makes it flare up? By nature, ice hockey is a sport that encompasses athleticism and skill, as well as politics and drama. Scores, plays, and blocks from pursuing major titles matter just as much as player-on-player encounters and personal grudges.
Cities are territories in hockey, and many cities that care about the cold-weather sport are relatively close together. These cities tend to have friendly rivalries in other areas, too, over things like city pride and culture. They sometimes vie for fans, since the fanbase regions can overlap. Travel between close cities is easier for fans, so die-hard fanatics more often attend matches, creating a very charged atmosphere in the arena.
Playoff games are high-stakes bouts that increase the energy in a rivalry. A single series in the postseason can define how players and fans view each other for years afterward. For Ottawa, repeated losses against Toronto created a deep resentment. On the other hand, key wins against Buffalo and Montreal created an air of superiority in the Sens, much to the other cities’ chagrin.
Unlike most sports, which have strict rules against things like punching one another in the head and hitting each other with sticks, hockey simply discourages such behaviour. But it’s a vital essence of the game, so it can’t be eliminated. The players usually find it thrilling and fun, and only sometimes does it cross into actual hatred. Every encounter, from a physical hit to a key goal, can become embedded in a team’s or rivalry’s history.
Fan interaction on social media, at live games, and in daily discussions all contribute to a rivalry. Passionate fans fan the flames of friendly fighting, which is the heart of the fun. The players feel that energy from online discourse and live attendance, alchemizing it into lively play on the ice.
When fans (or players) take a rivalry too far, things can sour, so it’s important to always keep the drama at a friendly level.
The Impact of Rivalries on Team Performance and Fan Engagement
Rivalries in any sport often raise the level of play. The stakes are higher, with reputation and pride on the line, instead of just a record and a trophy. Players tend to skate harder, defend more aggressively, and stay more focused in rivalry games.
Familiarity between teams leads to coaches and players adjusting their strategies to try to best one another. It becomes a game of chess on top of hockey, where each side tries to anticipate the other’s moves. Heightened tensions lead to more satisfying offensive and defensive maneuvers, goals, and fights.
We're a city that's often overlooked and underestimated. Our team is the same way. And we're OK with that.
Derek Nighbor, Senators fan
All of this leads to increased fan engagement, which attracts higher attendance and increased television viewership. Matchups between the Ottawa Senators and Maple Leafs or Canadiens attract strong attention from fans and the media.
Fans who attend a legendary rivalry match often have a memorable time, solidifying their fanship and loyalty. Hockey relies on a strong relationship between players and fans, each fuelling the other’s passion and interest.
While the Senators’ biggest rival is still the Toronto Maple Leafs, the rivalry has fizzled in recent years due to the teams not having many opportunities to face each other. The Canadiens rivalry has begun heating up instead. Both rivalries are driven by playoff history and fan intensity, and could easily flare up at any match.
Which of Ottawa's rivalries do you think is the most intense?
References
- Associated Press. “Senators cruise past Canadiens, close out series in 5 games.” ESPN, 10 May 2013, www.espn.com/nhl/recap/_/gameId/400462021. Accessed 30 May 2026.
- Blaines, Tim. “GREEN AND BLUE: Memories of Heated Rivalry Hit New Ottawa Senators Coach Travis Green.” Ottawa Citizen, 8 May 2024, ottawacitizen.com/sports/green-and-blue-memories-of-heated-rivalry-hits-new-ottawa-senators-coach-travis-green. Accessed 30 May 2026.
- Cuthbert, Justin. “The Montreal Canadiens’ 3 Greatest Rivals.” theScore, 29 Dec. 2015, www.thescore.com/nhl/news/917160. Accessed 30 May 2026.
- Engels, Eric. “Canadiens Grab Rivalry-fuelling Win Over Senators.” Sportsnet.ca, 1 Oct. 2025, www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/canadiens-kapanen-laine-demidov-star-in-rivalry-fuelling-win-over-senators. Accessed 30 May 2026.
- Ferraro, Jake. “5 Biggest Rivals of the Ottawa Senators.” SenShot, 29 Oct. 2024, senshot.com/posts/5-biggest-rivals-ottawa-senators-01j7fjvm3g35/5. Accessed 30 May 2026.
- Heroux, Devin. “Senators Fans: Loud, Proud... And so Canadian.” CBC, 17 May 2017, www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/senators-fans-underdogs-1.4119389. Accessed 30 May 2026.
- Scanlan, Wayne. “Why This Battle of Ontario Sets Scene for New Era of Rivalry.” Sportsnet.ca, 27 Apr. 2025, www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/why-this-battle-of-ontario-sets-scene-for-new-era-of-rivalry. Accessed 30 May 2026.
- Tsn.Ca Staff. “A Look Back at the Spirited Battle of Ontario Playoff Clashes Between Leafs, Sens.” TSN, 16 Apr. 2025, www.tsn.ca/nhl/a-look-back-at-the-spirited-battle-of-ontario-playoff-clashes-between-leafs-sens-1.2289744. Accessed 30 May 2026.
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