FIVE QUICK THOUGHTS
-Excuse my language but holy shit, did they ever need a win like that. Did we ever need a win like that. In a season where it feels like every bounce has gone the wrong way, a puck finally wobbled and bounced the way of the Ottawa Senators. And they deserved it. It’s not that they necessarily outplayed the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday afternoon but more that they have generally outplayed the opposition for the last ten days now. This team has dug a deep hole in the North Division but watching them over the last five games, it’s clear they are nowhere near as bad as their record suggests.
-Perhaps the last few years have lowered my standards a little bit but there is something enjoyable, dare I say lovable, about this year’s Ottawa Senators. The losing is a bit of a grind obviously but being able to watch the future of the franchise on display every night is pretty unique. It makes every game watchable, which wasn’t always the case in the past few seasons. And what’s unique about this particular group is you can almost see the progress in real time. Started from the bottom, sure, but they’re getting better every night and that’s what matters. When Brady Tkachuk tipped that Mike Reilly shot home with less than ten seconds to play, I celebrated like it was a playoff goal. There’s beauty in the struggle.
-It doesn’t happen often at this level of hockey but every once in awhile, you see a guy fighting for his career. And while that may seem a tad dramatic, yesterday’s game did have that feel for Marcus Hogberg. Considering the way the season had gone to this point, you sort of got the sense that this was a last chance for Hogberg. And honestly, he may not even get this opportunity if not for the injury to Matt Murray. Full credit to Marcus Hogberg though. He came to play on Saturday afternoon and is a big reason why the Senators were able to get back in the win column.
-It took him a few weeks but you get the sense that Evgenii Dadonov is finally starting to get settled in Ottawa. Life without Barkov and Huberdeau hasn’t been easy for Daddy. The off-season signing of Dadonov was universally praised but he didn’t exactly get off to an explosive start with the Senators. But like many guys on this team, it just seemed like Dadonov really wasn’t getting any bounces. But over the last four games, things are finally starting to break his way. Three goals in his last four games and he probably could have had a couple more. The Paul-White-Dadonov line has looked great together recently.
-The day ended with an out-of-nowhere goal by Brady Tkachuk but moments before puck drop in this one, Pierre Dorion pulled off an equally surprising swap. Ryan Dzingel is an Ottawa Senator again. Heading to the Carolina Hurricanes- two regular healthy scratches in Cedric Paquette and Alex Galchenyuk. With three expiring contracts involved in the deal, both teams are addressing short-term issues here. The Senators use their cap space to open up a roster spot and the Hurricanes get some much-needed cap relief but have to take on two one-way deals that really don’t fit in their lineup. While Dzingel’s play has tailed off a bit since leaving Ottawa, he arrives back in town with something to prove. He’s lost a bit of his scoring touch over the last couple seasons but he still brings some much-needed speed to Ottawa’s forward group. And if he plays well, Dorion can consider moving him again at the deadline or if things go well, maybe he sticks around this time?
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