The 2026 Boggart Cup Playoffs are underway, and the Ottawa Jr Senators will once again participate in the battle for a championship and an appearance at the 2026 Centennial Cup. Due to finishing third in the CCHL with a 36-15-2-2 record, Ottawa will face the sixth-place Renfrew Wolves, who finished the season with a 26-24-3-2 record, in the first round of the playoffs.
Ottawa’s return to the playoffs comes after narrowly missing out on a postseason berth the past two years. Most excitingly, Ottawa is a contender for a deep playoff run based on the results from the regular season.
What should fans expect from the first-round matchup?
This should be a tight series between two teams that play structured hockey.
The Jr Senators and Wolves played five times during the regular season, with Ottawa winning four of those matchups.
Fans should expect a tight series, as three of the five games between the two teams ended in a one-goal win. The fourth game was a 3-1 win for Ottawa, while the final meeting, on Mar. 14, resulted in a 7-0 Ottawa win.
Home ice advantage is important in any playoff series, and Ottawa won the right to start the playoffs at home.
Throughout the regular season, Ottawa proved to be one of the best teams when playing on home ice, losing only 7 games inside the Jim Durrell Arena. Five of those losses came in regulation, making them the third-best team in the CCHL on home ice.
The top scorers for Ottawa include:
Raphael Tellier: 60 pts (24g/36a) in 56 games
Carter Williamson: 51 pts (16g/35a) in 51 games
Deklyn Campbell: 36 pts (12g/24a) in 50 games
Hunter Robitaille: 35 pts (15g/20a) in 51 games
Eric Kane: 33 pts (13g/20a) in 55 games
The top scorers for Renfrew include:
Kyle Cameron: 47 pts (14g/32a) in 54 games
Kingston Harris: 37 pts (13g/24a) in 51 games
Tal Stevenson: 32pts (3g/29a) in 52 games
Mikayil Kahriman: 31 pts (13g/18a) in 52 games
Nolan DeFazio: 29 pts (8g/21a) in 53 games
If the Jr Senators want to succeed in the postseason, they will need to continue the habits that brought them success during the 2025-26 season. That includes their success on special teams.
Ottawa’s power play averaged a 19.7 per cent success rate during the regular season, making it the fourth-best team in the CCHL when they had the man advantage.
When it comes to the penalty kill, no team was better than Ottawa. By the end of the season, the team achieved an 89 per cent success rate when short-handed, and for large portions of the year, the team maintained an average above 90 per cent.
The Renfrew Wolves enter the postseason with a power play averaging a 13.7 per cent conversion rate, which landed it 11th in the CCHL.
The Wolves’ penalty kill was more successful, finishing the season with an 85 percent success rate, which made it the fifth-best pk in the league.
Ottawa Goaltending
Nicolas Morvan (12-5-2-0): .907 SV% 2.45 GAA
Caden Maringa (1-1-0-0) .884 SV% 2.53 GAA
Renfrew Goaltending
Ayo Ogini (24-8-1-0): .926 SV% 2.37 GAA
Reece Herman (2-10-0-0): .889 SV% 4.19 GAA
While the numbers tell a certain story, ultimately, the teams will have to battle it out on the ice. One of the best things about playoff hockey is that nothing is ever certain. This exciting series will feature two franchises hungry to prove what they can do in the quest for the Boggart Cup.
The Jr. Senators’ playoff run will get underway on Saturday, Mar. 21, inside the Jim Durrell Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:30 pm. You can watch the game on flohockey.tv or tune in over the radio via ojsradio.mixlr.com.
