Thomas Chabot Bio
Thomas Chabot is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on January 30, 1997, in Sainte-Marie, Quebec, Chabot has developed into one of the Senators’ most important players since being selected 18th overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 190 pounds, the left-shooting defenceman has been a steady presence on the Ottawa blue line for most of the past decade.
Chabot rose to international prominence in January 2017 when he became the first defenceman ever to be named the Most Valuable Player of the World Junior Championships. He also won silver medals with Canada at the IIHF World Championships in 2019 and 2022, cementing his reputation as one of Canada’s top defencemen of his generation.
Early Life and Background
Thomas Chabot was born in Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce, Quebec, to his father Francois, an elementary-school teacher, and his mother Claude, a hairdresser. He grew up alongside an older brother named Felix-Antoine, who once scored two goals in a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League game during his own brief playing career. The Chabot household clearly nurtured an early love for hockey, as Thomas began skating at the age of three.
As a young minor hockey player in the Beauce-Nord region of Quebec, Chabot competed in the prestigious Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments in both 2009 and 2010. These early experiences in competitive hockey helped lay the foundation for his development into one of the most highly regarded young defencemen in Canadian hockey.
Path to Hockey
Chabot’s path to professional hockey took a major step forward when he was selected by the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in the second round, 22nd overall, of the 2013 QMJHL Entry Draft. In his rookie season with the Sea Dogs in 2013-14, he appeared in 55 games and posted one goal and 21 assists for 22 points, immediately demonstrating the playmaking ability that would later define his NHL career.
During his sophomore campaign in 2014-15, Chabot’s strong play was rewarded with an invitation to the 2015 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. He led the Sea Dogs’ defencemen in scoring that season with 12 goals and 41 points in 66 games, finishing fifth overall on the team in scoring. His outstanding junior performance caught the attention of NHL scouts and led directly to his selection by the Ottawa Senators with the 18th pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
Thomas Chabot Career
Early Career (2015-2017)
Following his draft selection by Ottawa, Chabot attended the Senators’ 2015 rookie and main training camps after taking part in Hockey Canada’s National Team Summer Showcase in Calgary. He played in three preseason games before being returned to Saint John on September 30, 2015, the same day he signed a three-year entry-level contract with Ottawa.
Chabot returned to the Sea Dogs for the 2015-16 season and recorded 11 goals and 45 points in 47 games, helping Saint John advance to the QMJHL semifinals. His final junior season in 2016-17 was his most decorated, as he tallied 10 goals and 45 points in 34 regular-season games. On March 15, 2017, he set a franchise record as the Sea Dogs’ all-time top-scoring defenceman. He was named playoff MVP and awarded the Guy Lafleur Trophy as Saint John won the President’s Cup as QMJHL champions. He was also awarded the Emile Bouchard Trophy as the QMJHL’s best defenceman and the Paul Dumont Trophy as the league’s personality of the year.
NHL Breakthrough (2017-2019)
Chabot made his NHL debut on October 18, 2016, against the Arizona Coyotes, though he was returned to junior shortly afterward. After starting the 2017-18 season with Ottawa’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Belleville Senators, he was recalled in November. He scored his first NHL goal and added two assists in a 6-5 win over the New York Islanders on December 1, 2017. In his first full NHL campaign, he finished with nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points in 63 games.
Chabot had a true breakout season in 2018-19, finishing with 14 goals and 55 points in 70 games, the tenth-highest total among NHL defencemen. His ice time rose to an average of 25 minutes per game as he assumed first-pairing duties alongside Dylan DeMelo. He was one of only three defencemen under the age of 25 to reach the 50-point mark that season, alongside Jacob Trouba and Morgan Rielly. Chabot was selected to appear in the 2019 NHL All-Star Game and finished the season as Ottawa’s leading scorer after Mark Stone and Matt Duchene were traded at the deadline.
Ottawa Senators Era (2019-Present)
Following his breakout campaign, Chabot signed an eight-year, $64 million contract extension with the Senators in September 2019. He was named one of the team’s alternate captains for the 2020-21 season and continued to anchor Ottawa’s defence corps. In 2021-22, he averaged 26 minutes and 23 seconds of ice time per game, the highest of any player in the entire NHL that season.
Chabot’s importance to the franchise was further demonstrated in 2023-24 when the Senators qualified for the playoffs for the first time in his NHL career. He made his playoff debut on April 20 and scored his first career playoff goal on April 29 in a 4-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, though Ottawa was eliminated in six games. During the 2025-26 season, Chabot battled through injuries, including a broken arm suffered on March 23, 2026, but returned just 17 days later to help the Senators secure the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
Driving Style and Strengths
Although best known for his offensive instincts and smooth skating, Chabot has earned a reputation as a two-way defenceman capable of logging top-pairing minutes against the league’s best players. His strong puck-moving skills, accurate shot from the point, and intelligent positioning have made him the cornerstone of the Ottawa defence. Despite frequent criticism regarding his defensive play in recent seasons, many observers have noted that high ice-time totals and recurring injuries have contributed to inconsistent results.
Notable Events and Milestones
Chabot’s most significant individual milestone came in January 2017, when he became the first defenceman in tournament history to be named Most Valuable Player of the World Junior Championships. Other notable moments include his first NHL goal against the New York Islanders in December 2017, his NHL All-Star selection in 2019, and the eight-year, $64 million contract extension signed shortly thereafter.
Thomas Chabot Career Wins
While Thomas Chabot has not yet won major individual NHL awards, he has collected numerous honours at the junior, international, and professional levels. He won the Guy Lafleur Trophy, the Emile Bouchard Trophy, and the Paul Dumont Trophy during his final QMJHL season with the Saint John Sea Dogs. He also helped Canada capture silver medals at the 2017 World Junior Championships and the 2019 and 2022 IIHF World Championships.
NHL Highlights
Chabot’s top NHL seasons have come in 2018-19, when he posted 14 goals and 55 points, and in 2024-25, when he recorded nine goals and 45 points in 80 games. He made his long-awaited playoff debut with Ottawa in 2024 and scored his first career playoff goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs. During the 2025-26 season, he recorded seven goals and 31 points in 57 games before helping the Senators qualify for the postseason.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond the NHL, Chabot has represented Canada with distinction on multiple occasions. He won a bronze medal at the 2015 IIHF World U18 Championships, captured silver at the 2017 World Junior Championships while earning MVP and Best Defenceman honours, and added silver medals at the 2019 and 2022 IIHF World Championships. He was named captain of Team Canada for the 2022 tournament.
Thomas Chabot Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
While the Chabot family has no formal racing lineage, Thomas comes from a supportive Quebec household that valued both education and athletics. His father Francois worked as an elementary-school teacher, and his mother Claude worked as a hairdresser. His older brother Felix-Antoine also pursued competitive hockey, even appearing in one Quebec Major Junior Hockey League game during his own playing days.
Personal Life
Thomas Chabot continues to maintain strong ties to his hometown region of Sainte-Marie-de-Beauce in Quebec, the same area where he first laced up his skates as a young boy. Public details about his personal relationships and family life remain limited, as Chabot tends to keep his off-ice activities private while focusing on his professional career in Ottawa.
2025 Season Performance
Thomas Chabot’s 2025-26 campaign with the Ottawa Senators was defined by both perseverance and adversity. The veteran defenceman battled a series of injuries throughout the year, including a hard hit from Dallas Stars forward Colin Blackwell that caused an upper-body injury, followed by a broken arm suffered after a cross-check from New York Rangers captain J.T. Miller on March 23, 2026. The injury required surgery, and Chabot was initially expected to miss four to eight weeks of action.
Remarkably, Chabot returned to the lineup just 17 days after his surgery, appearing in a 5-1 win against the Florida Panthers on April 10. Despite the injury-shortened campaign, he still managed seven goals and 31 points in 57 games, continuing to serve as the team’s anchor on the back end. His return helped stabilize the Ottawa defence during the most important stretch of the regular season.
Chabot’s contributions helped the Senators secure the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, setting up a first-round matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes, the top team in the conference. Ottawa was ultimately swept in four games by Carolina, and Chabot finished the series without recording a point. Still, the season represented another step forward for both Chabot and a Senators franchise working to return to consistent postseason contention.
