Senators Miss All-Rookie Team Votes Again as Canadiens Shine

The NHL announced the All-Rookie Team on Friday, and for Ottawa Senators fans, the absence of any representation was a bitter pill to swallow. Meanwhile, their rivals, the Montreal Canadiens, are thriving, showcasing a remarkable ability to develop young talent. As the Canadiens gear up for what looks like a promising Stanley Cup run after their surprising journey to the Eastern Final, they celebrated three players receiving votes for the All-Rookie Team in the 2025-26 season.

Leading the voting among forwards was Ivan Demidov, who garnered an impressive 195 points. He was joined by teammate Oliver Kapanen, who received six votes, and goaltender Jakub Dobes, who topped all rookie netminders with 151 points. The Canadiens’ success in this voting highlights their effective player development, contrasting sharply with the Senators’ struggles.

2025-26 NHL All-Rookie Team

The All-Rookie Team for this season features:

• G, Jakub Dobes, MTL
• D, Alexander Nikishin, CAR
• D, Matthew Schaefer, NYI
• F, Ivan Demidov, MTL
• F, Beckett Sennecke, ANA
• F, Jimmy Snuggerud, STL

2025-26 NHL All-Rookie Team Voting (by points)

In the voting breakdown, Dobes led the goaltenders, followed by Jesper Wallstedt from Minnesota. Among defensemen, Matthew Schaefer from the Islanders and Alexander Nikishin from Carolina were at the forefront, while Demidov’s scoring prowess placed him atop the forwards’ list.

Forwards’ voting results showed Demidov leading with 195 points, followed closely by Beckett Sennecke with 191 points. The Senators, however, continue to face challenges in their player development pipeline, as this marks the third consecutive year without a single vote for an Ottawa player.

The last time an Ottawa player received any recognition in the All-Rookie voting was in the 2022-23 season. Jake Sanderson managed to secure second place among defensemen with 179 voting points, while Shane Pinto received a solitary vote among forwards. Since Steve Staios took over as general manager, there have been slight improvements in asset management, but the results remain underwhelming.

Staios has made some pivotal decisions, such as acquiring Linus Ullmark by trading Detroit’s first-round pick from the Alex DeBrincat deal, yet he retained Ottawa’s first-round selections over the past two summers, drafting defensemen Carter Yakemchuk and Logan Hensler. The effectiveness of these choices remains uncertain, as does the future of Stephen Halliday, who played only 30 games this season.

The Senators’ prospect pool appears to be dwindling, leaving fans frustrated. Recent voting results serve as a stark reminder of the organization’s struggles in drafting and developing talent over the past five years, raising concerns about their ability to produce players capable of making an impact at the NHL level.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.