Ottawa Senators vs New Jersey Devils Picks, Prediction, Odds, and Line Movement for Monday October 12 2026

Ottawa visits New Jersey on Monday night with the better early record but the larger moneyline price. The Senators are 4-1-0 and have been winning with a combination of responsible defensive play, timely scoring and strong goaltending. The Devils are 2-2-0 after beating Vancouver 4-1 on Saturday, a performance that showed how quickly their special teams and skilled forwards can change the character of a game. New Jersey is a modest home favorite at roughly -130, while Ottawa is available around +117 in a quoted Monday morning offer.

This matchup presents a useful test of both teams' early identities. Ottawa wants to force mistakes through structure and close checking before Tim Stutzle and Drake Batherson attack the resulting openings. New Jersey has enough speed to beat pressure with one pass, but its forwards will need to balance rush chances with patience against a team that has been difficult to break down. The road underdog is appealing at plus money, although the uncertain goaltending assignments make the final warmup worth monitoring.

The Senators' 4-1-0 opening has not depended on last season's forward group remaining intact. Brady Tkachuk is now in Florida, leaving Stutzle, Batherson, Dylan Cozens and Shane Pinto to carry more of the scoring burden. Stutzle has answered with four goals and eight points through five games. His ability to gain speed through the neutral zone and turn that advantage into either a shot or a pass gives Ottawa a reliable way to generate chances when opponents are disciplined in their own end.

Ottawa edged Nashville in a shootout Saturday, building on a strong start that has included multiple close-game wins. Batherson has contributed three goals, while the Senators have received enough secondary support to avoid relying entirely on Stutzle. Ottawa clogs the middle, forces opponents wide and challenges the next pass, an approach that can frustrate New Jersey if its forwards track back.

The Senators do have significant defensive absences. Jake Sanderson is listed day-to-day with a lower-body issue, and Artem Zub is on injured reserve with a knee injury. Cam Crotty has also been sidelined by illness, forcing Ottawa to manage its defensive depth carefully. Linus Ullmark is 4-0-0 with a 1.34 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage, but those figures describe his current form rather than a confirmed starting assignment for Monday. Samuel Ersson is another option, and the choice could meaningfully change Ottawa's outlook.

New Jersey's 4-1 win over Vancouver provided a template for how the Devils want to play. Nico Hischier scored twice on the power play and completed a three-point night, reaching 200 career NHL goals in the process. Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes remain the club's main creators, with Hischier supplying a strong two-way center presence and the ability to win important possessions near the net. The Devils can punish penalties quickly, something Ottawa must respect while playing aggressively along the boards.

The Devils have also worked to establish more balance below their top two lines. Cody Glass, Jesper Boqvist and Amadeus Lombardi have brought pace to the depth group, helping New Jersey spend more time in the offensive zone instead of relying on quick counterattacks alone. That matters against Ottawa because the Senators are comfortable defending a single rush. Long offensive-zone shifts and second chances may be the better way for New Jersey to break down their structure.

There are unresolved pieces in New Jersey's lineup as well. Luke Evangelista missed Monday's morning skate due to illness, prompting a recall of Stefan Noesen, although coach Sheldon Keefe expressed hope Evangelista could still play. Connor Brown, Nick Bjugstad and Seamus Casey remain on the injury report. Jake Allen made his 500th career appearance in Saturday's victory, and the morning routine pointed toward Nico Daws as a possible starter against Ottawa. That possibility should be treated as a projection until confirmed.

The morning line offered Ottawa around +110 in one market snapshot and as high as +117 in a separate sportsbook quote. New Jersey appeared around -121 to -130 across those references. Those differences are not proof that every sportsbook moved in the same direction, but they establish a clear pricing picture: the Devils are modest home favorites, while the Senators offer a meaningful plus-money return. The total has generally appeared at 5.5 or six, reflecting respect for Ottawa's defense and the offensive threat on both sides.

New Jersey's power play is the biggest tactical danger for the underdog. Ottawa's injuries on defense could leave it scrambling if it takes penalties or fails to clear the slot. Yet New Jersey also has to contend with Stutzle's transition threat and the Senators' ability to protect a lead. If the Devils get drawn into repeated north-south exchanges, their home-ice edge is less valuable than when they can dictate possession through extended shifts.

Best Bet: Ottawa Senators moneyline at +115 or better. The Senators have established a legitimate defensive identity and bring the more convincing overall early record. Stutzle's scoring gives them a reliable counter to New Jersey's rush attack, while the plus-money offer leaves room for a close game. The wager carries additional goalie risk, particularly if Ottawa rests Ullmark, so the price should not be chased below the stated threshold.

Prediction: Ottawa Senators 3, New Jersey Devils 2. Ottawa limits the Devils' rush chances, survives New Jersey's power-play pressure and gets the decisive goal from a forward group that has been producing in close games.