(UPDATE- 12:11 PM)- The Senators made a move on the waiver wire this afternoon, claiming goaltender Anton Forsberg. The 28-year old Swede was most recently with the Winnipeg Jets but he has bounced around a bit this year including stops in Carolina and Edmonton.
When the Ottawa Senators host the Vancouver Canucks later tonight, it will be another night in a strange year.
With 24 games left in their season and the playoffs looking umm unlikely (sorry, Kevin Costner), the Senators are mostly playing out the string. They’ll have a chance to ruin things for a few Canadian rivals over the next couple months but other than that, there really isn’t a whole lot left to play for.
Player development is the priority from here on out. And really, that’s what it was all about from the beginning.
Yet as the 7th place Senators get set to take the ice in front of seven or eight sickos and an otherwise empty Canadian Tire Centre, I am struck by an overwhelming sense of optimism. Strange for me, I know.
But seriously, watching Monday’s game against the Canucks and last night’s NCHC Championship game featuring the North Dakota Senators, the reality of what is at hand is really starting to sink in.
The Ottawa Senators are going to be really, really good. And soon.
While we spent way too much time fretting over depth players and placeholders, the pieces of this rebuild that matter most have all been taking huge steps forward.
At the NHL level, Tim Stutzle has proven to be every bit as dynamic as we had hoped. And at times, exceeded expectations. There were times on Monday night when he had the Canucks on their heels and basically looking on in awe. In fact, he’s so good, that there is every reason to believe he is capable of filling that void at first line centre. It may take some time but he’ll get there.
Meanwhile, Josh Norris has transitioned well and even at the young age of 21, has proven to be an excellent two-way centre. Dig into his underlying numbers a little bit and actually, the word excellent may be an understatement. He tends to get lost in the flash of some of Ottawa’s other prospects but he has been damn good.
Drake Batherson’s progressing this year has been staggering . He has graduated from the category of intriguing prospect to an at times, dominant wingers. There’s an undeniable Mark Stone-like quality to his game. And in the last few games, Joey Daccord has shown early signs of being even better than advertised. And there’s a swagger there…an undeniable something that gives you the sense he can be a key piece of what the Senators are building here. Meanwhile depth guys like Colin White, Nick Paul and Connor Brown have all carved out important roles and when you add all that to established and at times dominant NHL players in Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot and there’s a lot to be excited about. And that’s only what is already here.
Glance at what’s happening in North Dakota and you realize, there’s so much more on the way. And the cavalry includes some difference makers.
Shane Pinto, who you may have thought to be a terrible pick, is actually good. And his production this year suggests he could be a more than capable second-line centre at the NHL level. And while it has been on display throughout the NCAA season, last night Jake Sanderson let the hockey world know he is just scratching the surface of his potential. And if he reaches that potential at the NHL level, the Senators are going to be downright terrifying.
It’s impossible to miss Sanderson out there right now. He’s so fun to watch. Here’s another great offensive shift for him. #NoDakSens #GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/4DPjBHXgDY
— Pesky Sickos (@PeskySickos) March 17, 2021
And I haven’t even mentioned the likes of Alex Formenton, Erik Brannstrom, Logan Brown, Tyler Kleven, Jacob Bernard-Docker, Ridly Greig, Roby Jarventie and the top five pick that’s about to join the ranks this summer.
It’s happening folks. That unparalleled success thing that everyone poked fun at- it’s coming. And it might already be here.
Anyway, the Senators play the Canucks tonight.
Game day skate suggests Ottawa will go with the same lineup.
Tkachuk-Norris-C Brown
Paul-White-Dadonov
Stützle-Tierney-Batherson
Dzingel-Bishop-Watson
Chabot-Zaitsev
Reilly-Zub
Wolanin-Gudbranson
No sign of Matt Murray so we’ll assume Joey Daccord gets another start. To be determined though.
Puck drops at 7:08 PM. Sportsnet, TVA, TSN1200 and internet streams abound.
Here’s a table.
| HEAD2HEAD |  |
 |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 14-16-2 (30 pts) | 10-20-2 (22 pts) |
| Goals For | 2.72 (21st) | 2.59 (25th) |
| Goals Against | 3.19 (21st) | 3.97 (31st) |
| Power Play | 20.4% (17th) | 15.0% (26th) |
| Penalty Kill | 80.9% (10th) | 74.3% (24th) |
| Shots For | 30.6 (11th) | 31.8 (4th) |
| Shots Against | 33.8 (30th) | 32.0 (28th) |
| Leading Scorers | Boeser- 29 pts Miller- 27 pts Hughes- 25 pts Horvat- 22 pts Pettersson- 21 pts |
Tkachuk- 22 pts Batherson- 21 pts Chabot- 20 pts Stützle- 18 pts Norris- 16 pts |
| Starting Goalie | Thatcher Demko 10-10-1 2.74 GAA, .920 sv% |
Joey Daccord 1-3-1 3.35 GAA, .896 sv% |
