FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-There is something delightfully naive about this year’s edition of the Ottawa Senators. Even at a time when they should be overwhelmed by injuries and against teams that should be equally overwhelming, they just keep finding a way to win. DJ Smith deserves a ton of a credit for not only resetting the culture in that room but also for instilling that belief that they can hang with any team in the National Hockey League. Same ol’ story against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night. Good goaltending, tenacious forecheck, timely goal-scoring and good ol’ fashion hard work. You could probably make the case that the Wild carried the play overall but the Senators just wanted it more. Again.
-There is no better way to truly appreciate the value of a player than to lose him for a significant period of time. It took all of 90 seconds to remember just how important Thomas Chabot is to this hockey team. Playing in the 300th game in the NHL and his first in over a week, Chabot was in a word, dominant. He started his night with a 1:30 shift that featured multiple high-skill plays, he scored moments into his second shift of the night and he just generally controlled this hockey game from start to finish. Possibly his best game as an Ottawa Senator. It’s no secret that the Senators lean on Chabot when he’s healthy but last night provided a glimpse of just how good he can be with fresh legs. Managing his ice time is easier said than done but as players like Sanderson, Brannstrom and Bernard-Docker get more comfortable at the NHL level and can pick up some of the slack, it’s only gonna make Chabot look that much better.
-It’s truly amazing to watch the progression in Tim Stützle’s game these days. Since making the transition to centre, it feels like you can almost see his game improving in real time. Defensive responsibility is certainly the biggest difference but it’s so much more than that. He’s more confident with the puck on his stick in all three zones and recently, he has been regularly flashing what is an absolutely lethal release. Early in his career, there was always a bit of a hesitation in his shot but not lately. He’s shooting to score and every time it leaves his stick, you feel like there’s a damn good chance it’s going in the net. Stützle has four goals in his last five games and has scored in three straight.
-There are plenty of good stories on this year’s team but Alex Formenton may be at the top of that list. From the moment he arrived in the NHL as an 18-year old, it was clear that he had the raw speed to be an effective player at this level. It took a bit of patience from the team but what we’re seeing now is a player that has finally started to put it together and most importantly, a player that realizes just how effective he can be. There was a rush where he just blew past a damn good defenceman in Jonas Brodin that was one of those “take your breath away” moments that only one other guy is capable of in this league right now. Guy Boucher famously said that Formenton had “McDavid-speed” and was mocked at the time. He was uhh right.
-The Senators have an interesting decision coming up with Anton Forsberg. The soon-to-be unrestricted free agent has had a hell of a year for the Senators and with the deadline coming up, Pierre Dorion is certainly going to be fielding calls. The thing is, Ottawa could probably use him for another year. The original thinking was that Filip Gustvasson would be ready to step into that back-up role next season but he has had a bit of a hard time solidifying himself at the NHL level. The kicker here is with Gustavsson on a one-way deal next season, the Senators may have to clear a spot and just hope for the best. Tough call though because Forsberg has been so steady back there this season. He was a big reason the Senators came away with two points last night.
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