And just like that, the season is half over.
With last night’s hard fought 3-2 loss at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers, the Ottawa Senators officially hit the half-way point in this short 56-game regular season.
28 games down. 28 to go.
In those early days, it looked like this was going to be a painful year. Anytime you are being compared to the 1992 Ottawa Senators, you know something has gone terribly wrong. Ottawa started the year with an ugly 2-11-1 record including a nine-game losing streak where they looked like a team that might never win again. And while even in those early days there were encouraging signs from the team’s young core, they were mostly buried in an avalanche of losses.
It got better though. A lot better.
In fact, if you break the first 26 games into segments, you can see that the Senators pretty clearly have this thing pointed in the right direction. It’s interesting to think about where they might be if they got even decent goaltending during the month of January.
Instead the Senators find themselves nestled comfortably at the bottom of the North Division, a full ten points back of the last playoff spot. While the Hamburglar Run has broken my hockey fan brain permanently and made it impossible for me to ever really “give up” on the possibility of making the playoffs, it’s a longshot.
And as we look ahead to the second half of the season, it feels like a good time to take stock of some of the encouraging story-lines from the first half.
The Progression of Josh Norris and Drake Batherson
When Josh Norris was included in the Erik Karlsson trade, the consensus seemed to be “decent prospect”. A first-round pick in the 2017 draft, Norris has improved rapidly since joining the Ottawa organization and now his talents are on display at the NHL level. Norris sits in a tie for 2nd in NHL rookie scoring and he has an outside chance at a Calder Trophy nomination this off-season. It’s not easy to play centre in the NHL as a 21-year old but Norris has transitioned well and shown that he going to be a fixture in Ottawa’s top six for years to come.
He’ll have some company up there too. The now 22-year old Drake Batherson has also taken a huge step forward this year. His path to becoming an everyday NHLer has been anything but predictable but it’s safe to say that Batherson has now solidified himself as a top six forward in Ottawa. A rare mix of skill, hockey IQ and work ethic, Batherson is giving off some serious Mark Stone vibes these days with his ability to impact the game in all three zones. And with 18 points through 28 games, you get the sense that he’s only scratching the surface of his offensive potential at the NHL level.
Patience Paying Off with Nick Paul and Colin White
And while the “kids” continue to dominate most of the conversation these days, there are a couple not quite veteran-aged forwards that have settled in nicely. In the case of Nick Paul, it’s been a process that played out over multiple seasons but now he has reached the point where he is basically a perfect bottom-six guy. Defensively responsible, can pitch in offensively and is more than capable of taking a power play or penalty kill shift. He’s exactly the kind of depth player Ottawa is going to need when they’re ready to contend.
The timelines are a little different and the process a little more dramatic at times but it feels like patience is paying off when it comes to Colin White too. Whatever the message was from DJ Smith early this year, it got through. He looks like a different player lately. In the early part of the season, there were a lot of concerns about White’s contract but he has carved out a nice role for himself on Ottawa’s third line.
Depth Additions Contributing
Pierre Dorion has taken a lot of heat for the off-season additions that didn’t pan out (thinking Paquette, Coburn, Josh Brown) specifically but a few of them are actually fitting in nicely. In the case of Artem Zub, the Senators have accidentally stumbled on what looks like a top four right-shot defenceman. Obviously they liked him but I’m not sure anyone thought he could be this good, this fast.
In Austin Watson, the Senators have basically a perfect fourth line forward. Dorion took some heat for that deal at the time but Watson has done everything they expected of him and more. And while he often draws the ire of fans, it’s the same thing with Erik Gudbranson. He just does is job. A team-first guy that brings some much-needed edge to the Ottawa blueline.
Erik Brannstrom’s Slow but Steady Development
On Sunday night, he barely played. On Monday, he played what might have been his best game as a Senator. Erik Brannstrom’s season has been a bit of a roller coaster ride but big picture, he’s slowly but steadily making that transition into everyday NHLer. And while fans have been at times frustrated with how DJ Smith has handled him, it’s clear that the Head Coach wants to take a patient approach. Eliminate the bad habits early and ultimately, give him the best chance to succeed. When Brannstrom is on, you can see that skill that makes him one of Ottawa’s most exciting prospects. Like so many other young defenceman, i’s just going to take a bit of time.
Goaltending Back on Track
In the month of January, the goaltending was…well it was a disaster. Goalies struggle but it’s rare to see two guys fighting it as bad as Matt Murray and Marcus Hogberg were in the early part of this season. The good news is Ottawa’s goaltending has stabilized through February and into March. Consistency is still a bit of an issue with Matt Murray but when he’s on, he certainly looks more than capable of carrying this team. And perhaps just as encouraging is the fact that based on first impressions, Joey Daccord looks just about ready to make that full-time jump to the NHL level. Not exactly sure where that leaves Marcus Hogberg in the short to medium-term but it’s nice to have two goalies playing well.
Tim Stützle is a Star
At least once a night, he does something incredible. As in something I have never seen an Ottawa Senator do before. In the third period of last night’s game against the Edmonton Oilers, he basically took the game over. Just 25 games into his NHL career, Tim Stützle has already put together a fairly ridiculous highlight reel filled with incredible displays of speed, of hands and of high-end skill. With every high draft pick, there is a degree of uncertainty. You hope he reaches his ceiling as a player but you never really know for sure. Except sometimes, it’s clear right from the beginning. Considering what he’s doing as a 19-year old, the sky really is the limit for Tim Stützle. He’s gonna be a star. Actually, he might already be one.
