Senators Inspired by Reimer's Rousing Speech Before Playoff Push

Backup goaltender's heartfelt words helped fuel Ottawa's late-season surge into the postseason.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 6:41pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a hockey game, with the players and action broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes, conveying the dynamic and high-stakes nature of the playoff matchup.A cubist interpretation of the high-stakes playoff matchup between the underdog Senators and the dominant Hurricanes, capturing the intensity and energy of the game through a fragmented, geometric lens.Today in Raleigh

The Ottawa Senators were struggling in early April, having lost three straight games, when backup goaltender James Reimer delivered an inspirational speech to his teammates before a crucial matchup against the Buffalo Sabres. According to Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, Reimer expressed unwavering faith in the team, telling them he knew they would get the job done that night. The speech seemed to work, as Ottawa went on to beat Buffalo 4-1 and then earn at least a point in six of their final seven regular-season games, securing a playoff berth as the second wild card team in the Eastern Conference.

Why it matters

Reimer's speech appears to have been a pivotal moment that sparked the Senators' late-season surge and playoff push. As the team prepares to face the powerhouse Carolina Hurricanes in the first round, Reimer's leadership and ability to motivate his teammates could prove crucial in their underdog bid to pull off an upset.

The details

Ahead of the April 2 game against the Sabres, the Senators had lost three straight and were struggling to maintain their playoff position. But Reimer, the team's backup goaltender, delivered a rousing speech to the players, telling them he had complete faith and belief that they would win that night and get the job done. Tkachuk said the speech had a palpable impact, with the players feeling a surge of excitement and energy to give 100% effort.

  • On April 2, the Senators defeated the Sabres 4-1 after Reimer's speech.
  • Over the final eight games of the regular season, the Senators went 6-1-1 to secure a playoff berth.

The players

Brady Tkachuk

The captain of the Ottawa Senators who relayed Reimer's inspirational speech to the media.

James Reimer

The backup goaltender for the Ottawa Senators who gave a rousing speech to his teammates before a crucial late-season game, helping to spark the team's playoff push.

Linus Ullmark

The starting goaltender for the Ottawa Senators in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes.

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What they’re saying

“He just said that he has every ounce of faith and belief in every single guy in this room. Doesn't matter what happens with this game, I have every ounce of faith and belief in this group, that we're going to win tonight. We're going to get the job done. And I could really see the excitement and the energy grow within a guy and see that they're going to give absolutely 100 percent of what they have.”

— Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators Captain

What’s next

The Senators will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with Game 1 set for Saturday afternoon in Raleigh. While Reimer is not expected to play in the series opener, his inspirational leadership could continue to be a factor as Ottawa looks to pull off an upset against the Eastern Conference's top team.

The takeaway

Reimer's rousing speech to his teammates at a critical juncture of the season appears to have been a pivotal moment that helped ignite the Senators' late-season surge and playoff push. His ability to motivate the group with his unwavering belief in the team could prove invaluable as Ottawa prepares to take on the powerhouse Hurricanes in the opening round.