The Ottawa Senators and their fans had a lot to look forward to going into this season.
They have a young and talented roster, they upgraded their goaltending with Cam Talbot, they added the likes of Claude Giroux and Alex DeBrincat, and it was a brand new start. Everyone was expecting them to be competitive, and with good reason.
For the most part, the Senators have done a good job of giving their fans hope for both the present and future of this franchise. Despite playing in the top-heavy Atlantic Division, the team has done a solid job of playing competitive hockey and staying somewhat in the hunt for a playoff spot.
As of this writing (Wednesday, January 4), the team is 18-17-3, which is good for 39 points. They are one point behind the fourth place Buffalo Sabres and five points out of the second wild card spot, which is currently being held by the New York Islanders.
One reason the team has been playing well this season is their goaltending. With a tandem of Talbot and Anton Forsberg, no one knew what to expect, but for the most part, they have done their job of keeping their team in games this season and giving them every opportunity to win.
Talbot, 35, is 10-9-0-1 with a 2.74 goals-against average, a .911 save percentage, and one shutout. Forsberg, 30, is 7-8-0-2 with a 2.91 goals-against average, a .914 save percentage, and one shutout. Those are not bad numbers, considering the team gives up 32.4 shots per game.
What is also impressive is that the Senators have five forwards that have at least 30 points. Players like Brady Tkachuk (39 points), Claude Giroux (36 points), Alex DeBrincat (36 points), Drake Batherson (36 points), and Tim Stutzle have all been producing consistently this season.
Speaking of Giroux, he has been a perfect fit for this hockey club. He has provided great leadership, experience, and offensive production to what is a very young hockey team.
The Senators have also been good on special teams play this season. They have the league’s fourth best power play (28 percent) and eighth best penalty kill (82.1 percent).
It will be interesting to see what the team does moving forward. Since they are in a division with the likes of the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Tampa Bay Lightning, it is hard to truly gain any ground.
With that said, the Senators are finally headed in the right direction. They may not make the Stanley Cup playoffs this season, but they are certainly closer than they have ever been in a really long time.
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